To Make an Elf
by threelade
Summary: A dying race, a potion, a corrupt ministry and Harry Potter. They don’t sound like they have anything in common do they? A.U. For those that review, my thanks.
1. The Selling of Harry Potter

This is a short three chapter story that I have already finished writing. I am hoping work allowes me to finish typing it up by the end of the week so I can have the whole thing posted by next Sunday at the latest. I hope you all enjoy and as alway, I wish I did but I don't. J. K. Rawling does. I just play a bit.

**Chapter 1. The Selling of Harry Potter**

**August 18**

Harry was in his room reading when he first felt the twinge from the wards or at least he assumed it was the wards. He had worked very hard last month studying the wards because quite frankly he didn't completely trust them any more despite the fact that Dumbledore swore they were still safe and that he was safe when behind them. From what little information the closed mouth headmaster gave him they were based on his mothers sacrifice when she willingly died to protect him. His aunt by taking him in assumed the focal point for the wards because she shared blood with his mother and himself and by her sacrifice in taking him in she activated the protections for not only himself but also for her whole family. Unfortunately since the end of the tri-wizard tournament Harry, Dudley and aunt Petunia weren't the only ones that shared the same blood. Voldermort had forcibly taken his blood to create a new body for himself. Harry couldn't think of any reason he would have been so obsessive about it having to be Harry who supplied the blood unless he gained something unusual along with his blood and the only thing that he could have gained was a measure of the same protection afforded Harry and his blood family. After having reasoned that out he had gone to Dumbledore with his concerns but the headmaster had assured him that the amount of blood stolen wasn't enough to interfere with the wards nor would it lesson the protections that surrounded the house at number 4 Privet Drive.

Harry had no choice but to take him at his word although before he left school for the summer he had mail ordered three books from Flourish and Blotts about blood wards and he had spent July doing nothing else but reading up on them. It was with some surprise that he found out that the wards were not based so much on blood as they were based on unwilling sacrifice. If his mother would have wanted to die or if his aunt would have wanted to take him in the wards would have collapsed. Even he and Dudley contributed to the strength of the wards. Dudley because he also didn't want to share house room with his cousin but did anyhow and Harry himself because he came back unwillingly every year.

That by itself caused Harry concern. He did not want to give his blood to Voldermort and apparently the more unwilling the sacrifice the stronger the protection. That being the case then Voldermort should be better protected than Harry was.

After learning all of this Harry had made it a point to learn to 'feel' the wards and tonight they were twinging.

Putting aside his book he left his bed and turned out his light. Walking to the widow he studied the backyard trying to see if anything was amiss. By this time the wards were thrumming. It felt almost as if someone were running fingers rapidly across a tautly pulled string causing a vibration. Harry grabbed his wand and cautiously opened his bedroom door and as silently as he could he made his way to his aunt and uncles bedroom. Opening the door he glided inside and made his way over to the bed. Putting his hand over his aunt's mouth to stifle any sound she might make he gently woke her up. "Aunt Petunia, something's wrong" he murmured, his mouth close to her ear.

She was one of those rare individuals who was able to wake up at a moments notice without the disorientation that plagued most so when she heard her nephews quiet words instead of starting she remained quiet as she asked. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. The wards are reacting from something and I have a very bad feeling about that. Look, I'm going downstairs and see if I can find out what's going on. I need you to get Dudley and uncle Vernon upstairs to the attic. I'm going to cast a silencing spell on this floor and the attic to try and hide any noise you three make. It will alert the Ministry and they will send someone here to investigate. Don't come back downstairs unless I come and get you or unless it's someone from the ministry that comes for you. Can you do that?"

Petunia nodded without saying anything so Harry removed his hand from her mouth. She whispered "Try to stay safe Harry."

"Wait till I leave the room before you wake up uncle Vernon. Ok?" She nodded once more to show the boy that she understood her instructions.

Harry left the room as silently as he had entered it and made his way to the stairs. Before he started down them he cast two silencing charms, one on the attic and one behind himself encompassing the floor he was leaving. He then quietly made his way down the stairs.

Going from room to room searching for…whatever it was. Harry was at a loss. He could feel the wards reacting, he knew something was going on but he could not locate the source of the disturbance. Harry made his way to the living room window and twitched the curtain open the slightest bit. Just enough to be able to get a good look outside but there was nothing to see. No movement, no noise, no shadows that should not be there. What the fuck was going on? Once again he circled the house and when he was once more in the kitchen he looked out the windows hoping to find answerers but without any success. He debated opening the back door and sneaking outside for a more in-depth look around but decided that might be considered a bit too reckless even for him so he resisted the temptation and instead once again circled the house.

He wished that Dumbledore had given him a way to contact someone from the order in case of emergency but no one had apparently ever considered that he would be faced with that need. Coming to a decision Harry made his way back up the stairs to his bedroom and grabbing a piece of parchment from his trunk he pulled a ball point pen from the drawer of his desk and after giving it a bit of thought he started to write a note.

_Who ever gets this. Something is going on with the wards here at my Aunts house. I don't know what it is but I fear the worst. Please inform Dumbledore ASAP and send someone here to help. _

_Harry._

He called Hedgwig and attached the note to her leg. "I need you to take this to anyone who's at headquarters girl. Please hurry." He ran his hand down her back and then scratched her head as she cooed softly at him. Opening the bedroom window he watched her fly off into the night. He didn't notice the strange smell as he stood there nor did he really notice as his eyes got heavy. He did notice that something was wrong when his legs gave out and he sank to the floor beneath the window but by then it was too late. Blackness was fast taking over his sight as he slipped into a state someplace between sleep and unconsciousness

**August 19**

When Harry next woke up he was in a sparsely furnished room lying on the floor. The air was musty and the smell of decay coming from the carpet beneath his nose was strong. Groaning, he pushed himself up onto his wobbly hands and knees. Holding out one of his hands he found the edge of a chair and using that for additional support he made his way to his feet.

His glasses although skewed were still on his face so he reached up and adjusted them securely on his nose as he looked around. It was a large room with three doors. The only furnishings were the chair he was still using for support, a small cot and a rickety end table. He must have been out for several hours because the only light in the room came from four large widows that graced two of the grimy walls. The tattered curtains waffed around two of them because of broken panes of glass. Harry was grateful for that small measure of mercy. If the windows had not been broken he was sure he would have choked on the stench of rotting carpet.

Standing there his legs regained some measure of strength back and he finally decided to trust them to support himself without the help of the chair. He slowly made his way to one of the doors, a feeling of disquiet washing over him. He wasn't sure what it was but something was missing. Shaking his head in the hopes that it would help clear the cobwebs that had apparently taken up residence in his brain he reached a hand out to the doorknob. He was a bit surprised to see how badly it shook. Opening the door he surveyed the empty closet. Turning he started to make his way to the next door before some instinct kicked in and he changed his direction to the third and farthest door. It took longer to traverse the length of the room but he finally made it to the third door which when he opened it led to an empty hallway. Stopping to collect his breath and strength he stumbled into the hall and headed for the stairs that he could barley see in the shadowed half light.

Reaching the head of the stairs he was a bit surprised to see how high this floor was. Although he couldn't say for sure it seemed like the stair case was at least half again as tall as the one that separated the first floor from the second in his aunt and uncles home. Reaching out to grip the banister he started down. It only took about four steps before he came to the conclusion that this was a bad idea. A very bad idea as waves of vertigo once again attacked him. His vision wavered in and out before finally deserting him altogether.

He didn't precisely pass out but everything did go white before he totally lost his precarious balance and finished his decent of the steps by tumbling down them gracelessly.

He lay there in a heap on the floor, aching body and head wondering if anything was broken or if he was going to loose the content of his stomach. Gasping for breath he desperately tried to calm himself as well as anchor his pounding head and dancing stomach. When he finally opened his eyes he could make out a blurry shoe in front of his face. Following the foot up to a black robed body his eyes rested on the silver white mask hiding the face of the person in front of him. Yep, this was most definitely shaping up to be a red letter day in his diary. Harry started to fumble for his wand when one of the feet came down on his hand and pushed it back to the floor.

"If you're looking for your wand, don't bother boy. My lord has it." The death eater reached a hand down as if offering Harry assistance in standing. He confirmed that unlikely notion by asking. "Can you stand or do you need to be carried?"

Harry batted the helping hand away and struggled to his knees but try as he might that was as far as his meager strength would take him. With and exasperated sigh the death eater grabbed Harry's arm and lifted him to his feet. Another death eater came into the hall and stopped in surprise.

"Why didn't you wait for me before you went to get him?" He asked the first.

The first death eater chuckled, "I didn't go get him. Apparently he decided to escape our hospitality but found the stairs a bit too much of a challenge."

Harry's cheeks pinked at the slam directed at his strength then decided it was well founded although that was only because he had been fed or given something that sapped his strength. His snarl let the two death eaters know he wasn't happy with their words or assumptions.

The second death eater laughed at his cheek before grabbing his other arm and helping the first to take him into another room where he had the distinct displeasure of seeing one of his least favorite persons. Voldemort.

Harry felt sick to his stomach and his body hurt so badly. He wished desperately that he could just loose conciseness again but that luxury was denied him as he was held upright between the two death eaters.

Voldemort reached over and yanked on his hair forcing his head up and back giving him an unobstructed view of the dark skinned, blond haired elf like creature that was studying him. As the elf studied him he had to suppress the insane urge to stick his tongue out at it or at least pop off with some sort of smart assed comment like 'Take a picture'. The creature walked all the way around the boy and the two who held him upright and in place. When he got behind the boy he reached out and ran his fingers through the boy's hair. Harry shivered at the chill of the elf's hand as it rested against his neck. The elf leaned forward and sniffed his hair before its hand descended to the neck of the pajama top.

With a strange accent the elf said, "Is anything broken on it?"

Voldemort gave an evil smile before he said "No. The boy is only bruised from his fall. In a few days he will be healed."

The elf came back around the front of the boy and still without taking his eyes from him said "I am paying good gold for it. I need to see that it sustained no permanent damage. Strip it."

Harry's eyes widened at these words and without even thinking about it he jerked his arms trying to get free from the two that held him. One of the death eaters apparently had relaxed his guard enough that much to Harry's surprise he did manage to get an arm free which he promptly swung at the other one. Hitting the surprised death eater in the face with a closed fist he was a bit surprised to see blood start to stain the cloth mask around the area the nose would be. He was so surprised at the success of his attack that he didn't follow through with another attack quick enough to free the still trapped arm. The death eater he struck staggered back a step or two but instead of releasing the boy's arm he tightened his grip and yanked the boy against his body thus pulling the Harry off balance. As Harry stumbled forward the death eater wrapped his free arm around his chest. His captive arm was pulled up and back causing pain to shoot through his over stressed shoulder. Harry yelped.

The death eater that he had managed to free himself from lunged forward and once again captured his arm. The two then stepped apart causing Harry to be stretched between the two with his arms spread wide.

Voldemort did not interfere during the short escape attempt or recapture but once Harry was back under the control of his followers he reached out and rested his hand on Harry's chest. "As I said, nothing broken." Moving his hand up to where the buttons started he gripped the top of Harry's pajamas and bringing his other hand up he ripped the top open exposing the slender boy's chest to view.

The dark elf who had demanded that Harry be stripped never said anything as he stood there and watched as the two death eaters upon their master's command manhandled the boy to the floor and literally ripped the clothes off of his back till he was dressed in nothing but skin. Once the boy was completely naked he was pulled back to his feet and his arms were once again spread. Harry never stopped struggling as the dark elf moved in and ran his hands down the boy's ribs examining the bruises Harry had acquired on his unorthodox decent of the stairs. Bruises on his legs and back were examined in the same way before the elf removed his hands and turned once again to Voldemort.

"Very well, nothing seems to be broken. State your terms."

"Five thousand galleons and one hundred of your people will serve me."

The elf got a grim smile on his face. "Four thousand and 50 will call you Lord, this human will never be allowed his freedom again and in addition the human will have his ability to do magic stripped from him."

Voldemort gave the elf a satisfied smile. "Agreed"

With a snap of his fingers a pile of gold coins appeared in front of The Dark Lord. "Do you wish to count it my Lord?" he was asked.

"No, the reputation of the Drow is respected. Your people do not go back on their given word ever. I trust you."

The Drow bowed to Voldemort before turning to the death eaters who held the shocked boy. "Put him on his knees."

Harry's legs were kicked out from under him and if it weren't for the hands holding his arms he would have fallen. As it was the two who held him controlled his decent to the ground till he was resting on his knees.

The dark elf calmly walked behind the boy and fastened a collar around his neck. After spreading his hands along the collar the elf quietly pronounced an incantation that caused a shiver to travel down Harry's back. He felt a wrenching feeling travel through his body then a sick empty feeling descended upon him. His vision swam and the nauseous feeling returned. Harry felt like something was violently ripped from his soul and he found it hard to breath. As he knelt he panted trying to retrieve the breath that had been stolen from him. Dots sparked in front of his eyes and he was afraid that if it didn't stop soon he was going to black out. He felt something being done to his ankles and his wrists but didn't have enough understanding at this time to analyze what else was being done to himself. He did understand when he was pulled back to his feet although he thought that whoever had done that expected a lot from him if they expected him to stand. Fortunately no one did expect him to stand unaided for a good long time as he felt arms supporting his unresponsive body. Eventually he managed to regain motor control of himself and he pulled away from the supporting arms and stood. This was when he realized that his arms had been restrained behind his back and with his head bowed he could see the shackles attached to each ankle with the foot of silver chain in-between.

His mouth was dry and he shook with fear. What had just been done to him? The dark elf moved around in front so that Harry could once again see him. He carried in his hands another length of silver chain although unlike the one between his ankles it was about two foot long and it had a leather strap on one end and a clasp on the other. One of the death eaters grabbed his hair and pulled his head up and back again. The elf reached forward with the chain and attached it to the collar around his neck by the clasp. Once that was done he wrapped his hand in the leather strap and jerked the boy toward himself. Wrapping his arm around Harry's waist he said one word and Harry was subjected to the feeling of being passed through a very small hole and finally Harry got his wish as conciseness fled.

When Harry woke up he was laying down on a large bed. Still naked he was covered up with a thin blanket. Harry's arms were no longer secured behind his back and after moving his feet he discovered that although the shackles were still around his ankles the chain that had run between the two was now gone. Reaching up he felt his neck and found the collar still secured there. The feeling that something had been ripped from himself was muted but still present as well. Harry reached inside himself trying to feel his magic and could not. This more than anything caused a panic to well up from his soul. He had always been able to feel his magic before. Even when he was young and had no idea what it was he could still feel it. No more. Now he was empty and hollow. His magic core was either gone or inaccessible to him.

Harry felt the tears gather in his eyes and determined not to spill them he hardened his face into an expressionless mask. With a little effort he was able to sit up on the bed and take stock of his surroundings. The room he was in was nicely appointed although the décor was a bit dark. The king sized bed was covered with a dark forest green comforter and the thin blanket that had been thrown over himself was only a shade lighter. The room contained a desk and a wardrobe in a dark mahogany wood with the upholstered chair for the desk done in the same color as the comforter. A recliner upholstered in a burgundy was sitting beside an occasional table made of the same dark wood that held a lamp. Other than the windows this was the only source of light for the room and although the windows were plentiful they were covered by drawn curtains also made of the same dark burgundy. The walls were painted in a heavy cream color and there were several tastefully done landscapes hanging up to break up wide expanses of plain wall. Of the three doors in the room one was open and Harry could barely make out fixtures for of a loo. Another door made of glass covered in a scrunched up curtain was on the wall that held the windows and the third door which was closed was almost directly across from the one that led outside.

Harry swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. Dizziness assaulted him so he sat still till the swimming feelings passed enough that he felt standing was not beyond his skill. Cautiously he gathered the blanket that had been used to cover him around himself and slowly stood. Shaking slightly he made his way over to the wall with the windows and looked outside. The room faced a walled in courtyard with a fountain off to the side. A seating arrangement with a small wood table was situated under a tree covered in pink blossoms. A very green and luxuriant grass covered the ground except where the land was cultivated into gardens. There was not a gate to an outside world that he could see from this angle but if he canted his head to the side he could see that one of the walls that made up the bottom of the courtyard had a door and several windows facing it.

He turned from the window to explore the content of the wardrobe. Opening one of the drawers he found folded underclothes. Reaching out a hand he fingered the silken stuff taking in all of the colors and patterns before grabbing a pair of the boxers and slipping them over his feet and up to his hips. The were finer than anything he had ever owned but they did fit and having something on to cover his nakedness made him feel marginally more secure although boxers weren't the best protection when it came to modesty.

Pulling open the next drawer he found socks. Warm winter ones done in white and black. Thin dress socks done in blue, black and grey and an array of colored socks that would come to the calf of the person wearing them. Before he grabbed a pair of them he opened the third drawer and hit paydirt. Jeans, stacks of them in blue, black, grey, kaki and cream. He reached in and grabbed a pair of the soft prewashed ones and held them up to his hips. They looked like they would fit him so he inserted one leg at a time and pulled them up. A bit loose but nothing like the trousers he was use to wearing. Snapping them closed he finally reached for a pair of white socks and pulled them up over his feet.

Still moving a bit cautiously in case the lightheadedness returned he walked over and explored the loo. Somewhat larger than what he was use to it had both a shower and tub. The toilet was located off to the side and another door was located on a side wall. The room had a double set of vanities and each was equipped with a sink. One the closest vanity was a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. There was also a bottle of shampoo, a bar of body soap, comb and a brush. Looking in the cabinet under one of the vanities he found a supply of bath towels and face cloths. He went over and opened the other door in the room and found a closet well stocked with shirts and tunics. Pulling out a dark blue pullover he finished dressing, well except for shoes and of those there was no sign. He looked around the loo once more before going back into the bedroom. Something was missing. It took a few seconds before he realized there weren't any mirrors. Strange, a bathroom was where you would most expect to find one…

Going back to the bedroom he cautiously tried the door only to find it locked. Stifling a sigh he went back to the door that led to the courtyard and expecting it to also be locked he was a bit surprised when the knob turned under his hand and the slight pull opened the door into the room. Moving forward Harry left the room and looked around outside. Other than the door that he had used there was only one exit and that was the door he had seen earlier when he had peeked out the window. Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained. He walked over to the door and tried it only to find it was locked too.

Harry made his way to one of the windows that led into the room that he was locked out of and tried to see through the small parting but the room was a bit dark and about all he could make out was that it was another bedroom. The window wouldn't open to his efforts and he considered breaking it to gain access to this room in the hopes that the door on the far wall would lead outside and to freedom but decided that for the time being he would just wait and see what happened. Perhaps someone would come and at least tell him what was going on here. He studied the courtyard looking for another way out and had to sadly admit that unless he got into the locked room or the last door in his room was opened he was trapped well and good.

Harry went back to the room where he had woke up in and explored the desk. Parchment, quills, two bottles of ink but nothing else. Not even a book to read. Harry wondered what he was going to do to fill the time till something happened. Bored he sat down on the recliner and with nothing to occupy his mind he finally just drifted off to sleep once again.

He woke to the noise of the locked door being opened. It was the dark elf that had purchased him from Voldemort. Having some thoughts about facing your enemy seated and helpless not being the best idea Harry stood and waited to see what the dark elf was going to do. What he did was hold the door open for a dark female elf to bring in a tray of food. He glanced over at Harry but said nothing as the girl carried the tray over and set it down on top of the desk. She gave Harry a shy smile before quickly walking back out of the room.

The smells coming from the tray were wonderful but Harry didn't approach. Instead he just stood there and waited for some action from the other occupant of the room. It didn't take long, a few minutes at best before the dark elf turned and left. Harry heard the lock turn as the door closed. Although knowing it was a futile gesture Harry hurried over and tried the door again. Of course it was locked.

His stomach rumbled and he made his way over to the tray and lifted the cover off the plate. A generous slice of roasted meat, small whole potatoes with parsley in a butter sauce, green beans seasoned with pieces of bacon and for desert a dark chocolate brownie covered in a thick chocolate sauce. The tray also contained a goblet that held a sweet smelling juice of some sort and a small side salad. Harry's stomach rumbled once again and he wondered if the food was safe to eat.

With a sigh he sat down on the chair and picked up the fork. He guessed it really didn't matter too much if it was safe or not. It was either eat or starve and if the elf wanted to harm him he guessed there wasn't much he could do about it with his magic gone. With those thoughts foremost on his mind he dug into the generous lunch.

Once finished eating with apparently no bad side effects Harry again went over the contents of the room hoping that somehow he had missed something. Something to do at least. A book perhaps but discovered nothing new. He could see that sitting around without anything to occupy his time and mind was going to get very old very fast so he decided to go ahead and enliven things a bit. Taking up a towel Harry walked outside and over to the locked room on the bottom side of the courtyard. Wrapping the towel around his hand and wrist Harry drew back his fist and hit the window on the door hoping to break the glass and thus make his escape via this room's door. Instead his fist bounced off the unbroken glass. Great.

He contemplated trying to break the windows but decided that would most likely be as futile as trying to break the window in the door. Instead he started to walk the wall of the courtyard hoping to find a hidden door or even a place in the wall that he could climb. He didn't get too far before he felt like he was being watched. Turning around he spotted a tall blond elf standing outside the bedroom door where he had woke up.

With a mental shrug and a 'What the hell.' he walked over to the man and cocking his head off to the side he asked, "Will you tell me what's going on?"

The dark elf that was standing behind the other one came forward and motioned Harry over to the furniture grouping under the shade tree beside the fountain and after Harry sat down the tall blonde elf started to pace and talk.

"Your family many generations ago intermingled with one of our prominent families. On the elven side that family died out but on the human side it flourished until recently. Now there are only three left and of those three only one has magic and that one is you. This was not an issue for concern until three years ago. It was at that time that the wizarding world claimed that which is ours or more correctly that which is your family's although all elves have shared in it. A large piece of land that houses a pool of water that renews our race. This is a sacred place to us and its loss could have dire consequences for all of our people so we want it back. You are the key to getting it back."

Well, of all the things that Harry expected this was not one of them. "You had Voldemort kidnap me over a piece of land? Why didn't you just approach me directly? If this land belongs to me and you need it I don't mind trying to get it back for your people." Harry rapidly though of whom he knew that would help him. "I'll need to hire a lawyer to help reclaim the land. Can you tell me the location?"

The elf smiled sadly down at the boy. "Were it that simple we would have asked for your help before. You cannot claim the land because you are human and according to the laws passed by your ministry for non-humans only an elf from the family that once owned the land may claim it. If we were presently in control of it no law would be able to remove us but it was taken after it had gone unclaimed for fifty years by a legitimate heir" He reached out and ran his hand down Harry's cheek. "I am so sorry child for what we will do to you but our race is slowly loosing itself and unless we act we will die. Unfortunately you will pay a price for us that is terrible. Had we any other option we would take it but we do not."

Harry sat there in shock. It just figured didn't it? Life it seemed was getting ready to deliver another sucker punch to the Great Harry Potter and he had a sneaky suspicion that this one was gonna be a dozy. "Ok," Harry said. "So far I think I understand but what I don't understand is what you are going to do. If a human can't claim this land even if he is of elven decent then I can't help you."

The elf sat down on one of the other chairs and said something to the dark elf in an unknown language that Harry assumed was his native language and he left through Harry's bedroom door.

Then the blonde elf turned back to Harry and once again started to speak. "Many years ago a very evil potion master sought the hand of a beautiful young woman in marriage but because the woman was already promised to another her father refused. This evil man became enraged and decided to seek revenge on her family and so he worked to find a potion to achieve his revenge with. It took him years but he finally found what he had been seeking. He developed a potion that could be administered to a werewolf when he was in his human form. Each day for the lunar month the werewolf would take a dose of the potion and when the full moon came and the change happened the werewolf found himself locked into his monster form for the rest of his life. The evil man found a werewolf and paid him to infect the woman's husband with the curse. He then told the small family that he had a cure and all the husband had to do was to take the potion everyday after the next full moon till the lunar cycle once again brought the full moon around and her husband would find himself cured. Of course the family was delighted and so the man took the potion and when the full moon once again came he changed but he never did return to his human self. The potion was outlawed and the evil man arrested and later executed and his notes confiscated and the poor husband was put down.

It was though that those notes were destroyed but they were not. Instead the notes on the potion were kept as part of a private collection. Almost a hundred years later the notes passed on to another who experimented with the potion. It was found that if the potion was given to a human that had a small amount of veela blood for approximately thirty days the person would gradually morph into a pure veela. It also works on humans that have a small amount of elven blood Harry."


	2. The Escape Attempt

I know I said this story was only three chapters but honestly till I started to put it into my computer I didn't realize how long the second chapter was. I write very small and what I have put in here took up twelve pages of longhand. I have another twenty two pages that were chapter two so I am separating it into three chapters and I'll most likely turn chapter three into an additional two chapters so this story will end up being a total of six chapters. Sorry about that folks.

**Chapter 2 The Escape Attempt.**

**August 19 **

Harry gaped at the elf not completely sure he understood what he just thought had been explained to him. "If I understand what you're saying that's barbaric No werewolf deserves that! Those notes should have been destroyed a long time ago." Another moment as the elf silently watched Harry and the rest of the story finally registered. Harry's face lost all color and he slowly shook his head no. "I won't do it. I'm human and am satisfied being one."

The elf sighed before he told the boy. "I understand that you're angry and afraid right now and believe me we wouldn't do this if we felt we had another choice but we don't. You're life won't be so bad when the change is finished child. You might eventually come to like the changes that will happen to you. There are several advantages to being an elf that humans don't have you know."

Harry was close to going into a full blown panic attack. They were keeping him a prisoner here with intentions of changing him into another race and for what? A piece of land? A piece of land that he apparently had the best legal claim to at that. He was more than willing to use the trust fund his parents had left him to hire legal help to reclaim that land even if it took his last knute and if he got it he didn't have any problem with turning it over to these people but they weren't interested in that. Oh no, instead of doing things the right way they resort to kidnapping and forming alliances with Voldemort and using dark potions on him to turn him into something not even human.

"If you try to force this on me I'll fight you anyway, everyway I can. Look, I already told you I would be willing to try to get the land through the courts but not this way." Harry shook his head no and then lifting his eyes he looked directly into the face of the elf. Harry hoped he could understand that he meant what he said. "If you do this to me I'll refuse to claim the land."

"Harry, how old are you?" the elf asked him.

"Sixteen at the end of last month. What does that have to do with anything?"

"According to our laws children are still under the control of their guardians until they reach the age of consent which because of the physical differences between humans and elves is not the same as what you are use to. Our children are not considered an adult at the age of seventeen, our children are still considered very much children till they are much older. Once you are changed we will appoint a guardian over you who will look after your legal affairs. By law, both human and elven your consent or cooperation is not needed so it won't matter if you don't cooperate. As a matter of fact you could actively fight what we do then and it wouldn't matter. According to our laws children do not have any say in regards to property or how they are raised and your human ministry long ago signed an accord agreeing that we had sovereign rights over the governing of our own children and that's exactly what you will be; one of our children."

"I'm not though." Harry spat, his eyes narrowed in anger. "I'm not one of your children and even if you force this on me I still won't be. What you're trying to condemn me to is nothing short of slavery." His eyes narrowed even further. "But of course I forgot for a minute, that's what I am anyhow isn't it. A slave. That's what people are called who are purchased and collared. Slaves."

Harry held his wrists out to the elf showing him the metal bands fastened around his wrists. "You might as well bring back the chains because that's the only way you'll get me to not fight you people."

The elf leaned forward and touched the collar around Harry's neck with a fingertip and Harry cringed back away from his as a painless shock traveled down his spine. "The collar isn't a sign of ownership. It's a binding artifact that blocks off your magic core so that you cannot access your magic to fight us." He smiled a little although his smile did look kind of sad. "The shackles on your wrists and ankles will remain until you learn to not fight us. I don't want to use them but you are correct in your assumption that they will be used to secure you if that's what it takes to keep you from fighting us. We will not allow you to hurt yourself in a fruitless battle that you cannot win."

Harry's face paled even further at those words, being confined was the one thing he had always feared and here this elf was telling him that not only was he confined but he might also be chained up like an animal. Harry turned his head away so the elf wouldn't see the tears that filled his eyes. "So what happens now?"

"Harry, the potion we need is being brewed right now. In two days time we will collect one liter of blood from you to add to the potion and in another twenty four hours after that it will be ready. You will be dosed with the potion three times per day, once every eight hours till the change is complete. The first four days you won't notice any changes to yourself. By day five you may have some pain but it won't be too bad. The pain should last no longer than six days. After day twelve you will find yourself lethargic and will sleep anywhere from fourteen to sixteen hours per day. That will continue till the potion has almost run its course. For the last two or three days you will be disoriented and physically weak but will rapidly regain your strength. Do you have any questions about the course of the change that will happen to you?"

The way the elf explained everything was so impersonal. Almost like he was discussing the weather instead of Harry's life. Harry tried to keep his voice just as impersonal although he could hear the tremble in it. "How long does it take till the change is complete?" Harry hoped it was long enough to give him a chance to escape and he was encouraged when he was told that according to the notes it took thirty days. That gave him some time to try and find a way out.

When the elf saw that Harry had no further questions he left but before he did he told Harry that he would be placing a selection of books in his room to give Harry something to do to pass the time. Harry sat there at the table watching him go back to the bedroom he had first woke up in he realized he had never even asked the elf his name. 'I won't either. I won't give him that satisfaction.'

Harry sat outside at the table till twilight started to color the sky. He even briefly contemplated just staying where he was all night and might have except the elf that had brought him lunch also brought him dinner and Harry was hungry so he went inside and sat down to another excellent meal. At least they didn't plan on starving him.

After he was finished eating he looked over the selection of books that had been placed in the small bookshelf that was a part of the desk. They were a selection of books on elves. The first one he pulled out was titled _'A Human's Guide to Elves'_. Opening the front cover he read the introduction. Apparently this book described the different types of elves and from what this said there were quite a few of them. He carried the book over to the bed and lacking anything better to do started to read but didn't get much more than half way through the first couple of pages before the mild sleeping potion that had been added to his juice kicked in and he fell asleep, the book falling from his hands and onto the floor.

He didn't wake up when the three elves came in and carried him to the loo. He didn't wake up when they put him in the warm bath. He didn't wake up as he was gently washed and dressed in silk pajamas, nor when he was carried back to the bed and gently tucked under the covers. In a way it was sort of sad that he slept through it because the careful and tender way he was handled might have calmed some of his fears but then again the fact that two of the elves that had been in his room were beautiful young women might have just given him a case of terminal blush.

**August 20**

Warmth and comfort, he snuggled down under the duvet and scrunched his eyes closed tight in protest against the ray of sun that was attacking him when it dawned on him that sleeping in comfort unless he was at Hogwarts was not normal for him. He carefully opened first one eye then the other before he bolted upright in the bed not recognizing his surroundings at first. When recognition came he slumped in defeat. He knew this place. This was the bedroom the elves had locked him in following his kidnapping by Voldemort and being sold to the dark elf.

Harry gave a sigh and climbed out of bed only noticing that someone had put him in pajamas after he made it to his feet. The book he had been reading was sitting on the night stand with a scrap of parchment marking the place he had read to before he had fallen asleep. The book and pajamas told him that someone had been in the room with him last night. It also told him that he had most likely been drugged. He wasn't normally a heavy sleeper so it was unlikely that he could have been moved around enough to have been stripped then dressed in pajamas without waking up unless he had either ingested something or inhaled something that kept him asleep so that whoever changed his clothes could do it without him waking up..

Fuck, he hated the knowledge that they could do that to him and there wasn't anything he could do about it unless he did what? Stop eating, drinking and breathing? Yep, that would work, right. Of course it sort of defeated the purpose of not taking in anything that could knock him out now didn't it.

Harry got up and went to the loo and showered after relieving himself. A quick swipe with the hair brush and a quick pass with the toothbrush and he was ready to get dressed. It was funny you know? He had to go get himself kidnapped before he got some clothes that fit and were comfortable although you couldn't call it a complete wardrobe since it lacked foot wear other than socks.

He heard a noise in the bedroom and peered out the door. The same female elf that had brought his food the day before was there with a tray containing his breakfast. The male elf that had acquired him from his 'dear friend' Voldemort had once again accompanied her. "Is it drugged?" he asked.

The female elf looked at the male in confusion. He's the one that answered Harry. "You needed to sleep last night and after all of the excitement we were concerned that you might have had some trouble doing so, that is why your juice was laced with a mild sleeping potion. Only to help you rest."

Harry nodded to show that he understood he also asked although he was pretty sure he knew the answer to this question. "Will you do it again without telling me first?" so he wasn't really disappointed with the answer although he did hope. He was also a bit surprised with how the answer was phrased.

"You are but a child and thus do not always understand what is best for you. If we who are responsible for your care decide that you need help sleeping again then yes, we will do it again and if not telling you in advance allows you to take the potion without fear then again yes, we will not tell you. I guess the question is, if we do decide to give you a potion for something will you take it without a fight?"

Harry shook his head no, "Not after what that other guy told me yesterday. I won't take any potions you give me willingly. You might as well take that tray away. I won't be eating it if I can't trust it to not be drugged."

"Child, this much you can trust. Elves never lie. If I say the food has not been tampered with than it has not. This food has only been cooked. There is nothing in it that you would object to."

Harry stared at the elf for a few minutes. To trust in this or not… If he ate and the food was drugged, well what then? How long could he go without eating? He could get water from the tap but food, well a body needed food and he needed it more than most because he was in the middle of a growth spurt and like all boys his age he ate a larger amount than even looked possible. How long could he go before he ate regardless if the food was tampered with or not? Harry clenched his fists in frustration. He hated it, knowing they had him by the short hairs like this. Growling in frustrated anger he sat down at the desk and started to eat.

The rest of the day was quiet. Harry explored the courtyard carefully trying to find a way, any way out and came up with nothing. He searched diligently for a paperclip or a piece of wire, he even tried to hide the butter knife that came with his dinner in the hopes he could use it to pick the lock on the bedroom door but was caught and had the knife taken away from him. The rest of the time he read the books that had been left for him. The dark elf that accompanied the female elf that brought his food tried to engage him in conversation but he refused to cooperate with him. He also refused to ask names. He didn't want to get to know these people in any way, shape or form. So far as he was concerned they were the enemy and as such were beneath him.

**August 21**

That night he showered and went to bed but was soon up again. He waited by the window watching the room at the end of the courtyard for any sign of life. No light came through the windows so he had to assume that either the occupant of that room was away for the night or no one stayed in there. Hell, for all he knew it was another glorified prison cell like this one without a prisoner yet. Either way he watched and waited till he guessed it was early in the morning. He quietly opened the door to his room and with one last look around made his way over to the table grouping. It was time to put forth his best effort and make the escape attempt.

He was fairly sure he would get caught but he had to try. He had waited till now in the hopes that the rest of the occupants were deeply asleep and would not hear any noise he might make.

Harry wrestled the table over to the wall then stacked the chairs up on the table. Next he stacked the books he had been given onto the tower of chairs and finished off his impromptu tower with a stack of clothes for the extra centimeters it gave him in height. Climbing to the top of his wobbly tower he leaned against the wall trying to calm his nerves. If he missed and fell he was most likely going to end up with broken bones.

Harry took one last deep breath and jumped. His fingers scrabbled desperately on the top of the wall and he felt the fingernail on his left ring finger peel back to the quick. Blood started to gather under the fingers that despite his disbelief held him. He took a moment hanging there to calm himself before he started to work his way to the top of the wall. A few close calls and he was able to swing his leg over the top.

He had taken longer than he wanted to moving the furniture over to the wall so he didn't have as much time to vanish as he could have hoped but if he was lucky he would have enough time to find a good hiding spot where he could rest during the daylight hours before trying to put some distance between himself and the elves. If he was really lucky the elves would be searching further afield for him and tonight he would be able to sneak past whatever guard they had up and out. At the very least he hoped that by vanishing the potion that they were brewing would be ruined and they would have to start over again thus buying some time for his guards from the Order of the Phoenix to find him and mount a rescue.

Harry looked over the edge of the wall and wished he had a little light to see by but unfortunately it was the night of the new moon and what little bit of light there was only produced shifting shadows that his eyes could not see through. Ah well, he had trusted to luck so far and it hadn't let him down. He swung his other leg over and gripping the wall with his hands he hung his body over the edge. With a quick prayer that he didn't break a leg he dropped.

Oh damn that hurt! It felt like he landed on broken glass! He clapped his hands over his mouth to muffle the shriek that bubbled up his throat as his feet gave out from the pain. He flopped over onto his side and moaned as whatever it was dug into his hip through the jeans he had on. He could feel blood starting to soak his socks as his feet started to burn. Hands reached out to find out what the hell he had landed on. Crushed rock of some sort and a lot of it was imbedded in his feet. Tears falling he started picking pieces of rock and sock out of the bottoms of his feet. It wasn't long before his hands were coated in blood which made the task even harder as his finger tips slipped on the chips but finally he had as much out as he could get. He then pulled off his socks and wrapped them twice around the front part of his feet hoping the double layer would offer some protection from the rocks as well as soak up any blood so he didn't leave a trail to follow.

It took a bit of work to even get back up on his feet and after the abuse they had suffered from walking on his toes was pure agony, especially doing it on the twice damned crushed rock but it was either that or wait for the elves to find him again and that was not something he was prepared to do at this time especially when they had been clever enough to try and thwart this escape attempt before it had even started. At least now he knew why he had not been given any shoes or even soft slippers. That would have cut down on the damage to his feet making escape a little bit easier.

He finally made it to the edge of the gravel and looking around he spotted a darker patch off to the left which he desperately hoped was an area of brush and trees. If it was thick enough he would take cover there till tonight. Hopefully by then his feet would have started to scab over and he would be able to make a bit better time on the next leg of his journey. He only had time for three pain filled steps before his escape attempt was brutally killed.

Harry felt something encircle his waist and looking down he saw a band of pure energy spring into life. The metal bands on his wrists started to glow and with a clanking noise his two hands flew together and locked at the wrist. Thrown off balance his ankles soon followed but before he could fall down the band around his waist gave a pull much like the feeling of a portkey and he found himself back in his bedroom in a heap on the floor.

Hands from behind pulled him up and deposited him on he chair from the desk and a woman he had not yet seen gently picked up his feet and untied the socks from around them. Another elf brought in a basin of warm water and the first elf started to wash off the blood and dirt still imbedded in them. After she was finished with his feet she cleansed his finger then passed her hands down his body, a soft glow following in their wake.

When she was finished with what Harry assumed was some sort of diagnostic spell she spoke to the elf that had stayed behind Harry. He wasn't a bit surprised to hear the voice of the elf who had talked to him after he woke up the first day he spent here. He was surprised when that same elf picked him up and carried him into the bathroom and sat him on the edge of the tub.

Harry sat and waited to see what was going to happen now and what happened was the elf drew a warm bath then lifted Harry to his feet. He started to take off the shirt Harry was wearing before Harry reached out to stop him. With a sniff Harry said, "I'll do it."

The elf gave Harry a small smile before he agreed. "I'll allow you to so long as you understand that you need to soak in the tub for twenty minutes." He lifted a small bottle of stuff and poured a generous portion into the tub. "This will help relax the muscles you abused in your escape attempt. If you don't use it you will be very stiff later." He laid out a bath robe across the vanity. "When you're finished put this on and come back to the bedroom and we will bandage your feet and finger. Do you understand?"

Harry sniffed again, holding back the tears of anger and frustration before he nodded. "I understand." He wondered what else they were going to do to him besides treat the injuries he had gotten in his ill fated escape attempt. He wasn't foolish enough to think he was going to get off scott free but he did hope whatever they did wouldn't be to bad. "I need to be able to move my feet and hands to take a bath. Do you mind?" Harry held up the hands that were still locked together at the wrist and with a sigh of relief he felt whatever magic that was holding the bands together release. He waited till the elf left him alone in the bathroom before he stripped then limped to the tub. It was painful but he finally managed to sit himself down in the warm water where he leaned back and relaxed. Whatever potion the elf had put into the water felt wonderful. He would have been surprised at what was said in the other room if he could have understood it. As it were the soft talking coming from the bedroom lulled him as he floated in the tub.

Discot reached over and hugged his wife. "You know he'll never believe me if I told him the reason he was given no shoes was because we didn't remember them. How badly was he injured?"

Meriel returned the hug with a soft giggle. "Your right, he would not believe you. I certainly wouldn't if I were him. The lacerations on his feet will take a few weeks to heal. I would give him something to quicken the process but I don't know how it would react to the potion he will be taking. He strained a muscle in his shoulder too. I want you to give him a rub down after he gets out of the tub with this cream. It will fix him right up. His finger will also have to heal naturally. Did you know he had a major bruise starting on his hip? I'm thinking he fell down. The cream will fix that too."

"What time will you need to add his blood to the potion? I'm thinking it might be easier if we just put him to sleep before we take it. I'm thinking if we ask him nicely to submit to having his blood taken he's likely to spit in our face."

His wife really started to laugh at that. "I'm thinking that if Kalian finds out you knocked him out to take his blood she's really going to go on the warpath. You know she already thinks of him as her baby brother."

"I wish she wouldn't. We don't know if we'll get him yet."

Meriel looked concerned for a moment before she relaxed again. "Of course we'll get him. You're the best choice to protect him what with all those humans after him. Who else would they give him to but the warlord?"

"I hope so love, I'd like to have another child."

The bathroom door opened slowly and Harry limped out into the bedroom, the bath robe wrapped tightly around himself. He felt a bit uncomfortable standing there in front of the female elf dressed in only a robe but he had been told to wear only it and at that moment he was feeling uncertain enough about what they would do to punish him for his failed escape attempt that he didn't want to give them any cause to make the punishment worse. Before the male elf had told him that the bands around his wrists and ankles could and would be used to secure him in place if they though he needed it and that's what he was afraid they were going to do to him, chain him up like an animal.

The female elf got up and guided him over to the bed. She gently pushed him into a sitting position before she took his left hand in hers. Reaching over into a grey bag she pulled out a small pot with a screw on top. Opening it she dipped her finger in and scooped up a large portion of the cream which she slathered on the finger where the nail had been. She then wrapped the finger in clean gauze before tying it off. One at a time she treated his feet the same way before she handed the male elf another small pot of something, gathered her bag and left the room.

Harry dropped his eyes when the woman left. The man came over and motioned for him to lay down. "My wife told me to rub this cream into your shoulders and hip. It will help relieve sore muscles."

"She's your wife? She's very beautiful." Harry motioned to the pot, "I can do that myself you know."

"If you knew my wife a bit better you would know how foolish that statement was. When she tells you to do something you don't ask questions, you just do it. Now lay down child. You can keep the robe across your waist to protect your modesty till I'm ready to do your hip. After I'm finished you can get some pajamas on and then go to sleep for a few hours."

Harry studied the man's face and decided this wasn't something he was going to win so he pulled his arms out of the sleeves of the robe and wrapped it around the lower part of his body then lay down on his belly. The cream was at first cold but soon warmed to the touch. It didn't take very long for the tight muscles across his shoulders to loosen up and as Harry relaxed he started to drift off to sleep. Someplace in the back of his mind he felt the robe being shifted and the cold feeling on his hip that warmed quickly. That was the last thing he knew before sleep claimed him.

He didn't know how long he slept but he sure did know what woke him up. It was a feeling that he had been subjected to a few times before and one he would never forget. A full body bind. Harry's eyes snapped open and he tried to turn on the bed but because of the nature of the curse he couldn't. He felt something press against his arm and a cold feeling invaded his soul. The feeling didn't last long but when it was finished he felt weak and cold. The body bind was removed and he struggled up into a sitting position glaring at the female elf that had doctored his feet. She held a jar full of blood. His blood.

Harry started to shake. He now had only one day left before they started force feeding him that thrice damned potion and quite frankly Harry was scared down to his bones. He considered attacking the woman to try and break the jar but if he did would they just take more blood? He wasn't positive but he thought he remembered hearing that a person only had about a half liter taken when they donated blood in the muggle world. Would taking two liters kill him? How much blood did a person have inside them anyhow?

He was so busy watching the woman and going over his limited options that he didn't notice the male elf was also in the room until the man spoke. "The jar is charmed unbreakable and you can't open it so don't even bother to try. My wife wants to look at your feet again. Are you going to fight her?"

"Are you going to body bind me again if I try?" was Harry's quick comeback.

The man chuckled at Harry's words before he answered the teen. "Of course I will. Right now you don't have the strength to fight properly so I would do it as a favor to you so that you don't embarrass yourself loosing to a woman. After she is finished with your feet you need to eat something. You've been asleep for almost six hours and haven't eaten at all today."

"I'm not hungry." Was the sulky reply.

"Never-the-less you will eat." The threat wasn't said out loud but it was there and at this time Harry was feeling to defeated to fight so he allowed the woman to work on his feet and finger then he ate from the tray that was brought to him. When he finished his late lunch the elf helped him to the loo then helped him back to the bed. It didn't take very long before Harry was back asleep.


	3. And So It Starts

_I now have a beta who I am very grateful to, so a round of applause for Brightfeather._

**Chapter 3 And So It Starts. **

**August 21**

It must have been two or maybe three hours later that he woke up again. He suspected he had been drugged once more but really wasn't sure. That was the part that really killed him. He wasn't sure of anything right now. Hell, for all he knew he was just sleeping so much because of his injuries and the blood loss. As often as he had been injured he knew by now that sleep was nature**'**sgreatest healer.

Harry sat on the side of the bed and put his feet on the floor. Standing up hurt like bloody hell and took more than a little effort but he finally managed to do it. As a matter of fact he was able to do even more than just stand as he hobbled to the loo to take care of personal business. Once back in the bedroom he again started going over his options and coming up with nothing. Deciding some fresh air would help Harry again managed to gain his feet. The trip to the outside door was difficult but he finally managed it. His hand reached out and he twisted the door knob or at least he tried to twist it. The damned door was locked! Looking for a button or knob to twist he instead found a keyhole. So this was his punishment for his escape attempt. He was locked in the bedroom. 'It could be worse, it could be much worse' he thought but still, it was a hard blow to take. How was he going to escape if he was stuck in this room?

Having nothing better to do Harry spent the afternoon and evening reading. The same female that had brought all of his food so far brought his dinner and she per usual was accompanied by the elf that had purchased him from Voldemort. The blond haired elf's wife came back after he had eaten dinner and again treated his feet but other than that nothing else happened.

Harry was so bored, he was also very worried about what tomorrow was going to bring. That was the day they were going to try to force him to start taking that potion. Harry figured he was going to have trouble sleeping tonight, well that was until the door opened and the blond haired elf came in. He was holding a small vial of potion and Harry cringed away from it and the elf.

"It's just a mild sleeping potion Harry. It won't hurt you."

Harry shook his head and scooted to the far side of the bed placing as much distance between him and elf as the bed allowed. "I won't take it."

The elf gave a sigh before he said softly. "Harry I'm going to take a little time to give you a lesson. You won't appreciate it but I think it's necessary for you to learn this now otherwise you will just use energy you cannot afford fighting for something you cannot win. You were told before that those bands on your wrists and ankles could and would be used to secure you if necessary? Well, they are keyed to my magical signature. Keeping you under control is my responsibility and although I do not like it I will not shirk it. Now learn." He waived his right hand and the bands literally pulled Harry back to the center of the bed. Another wave and his hands were pulled to the top corners. One last wave and Harry's legs were pulled out and down. He fell over onto his back as his limbs stretched out to the four corners of the bed. In less than five seconds Harry was spread eagle on the bed shaking in horror over what was being done to him with so little effort. One final wave of the hand and the force holding him in place released and Harry was once again able to move.

Once Harry sat back up he reached out with a shaking hand and took the potion held out to him. After downing it he handed the vial back then lay down curled on his side his back to the elf. He didn't see the sad look that filled the man's face but he did feel the covers being drawn up and over himself. After the elf left the room Harry cried himself to sleep.

**August 22**

Harry woke up fairly early in the morning and waited somewhat impatiently for the elves to bring his breakfast to him. He had one last thing he could try but to do that he needed the blond elf. He planned on asking the dark elf to get him as soon as he got here. Harry had read in the book yesterday that the dark elves or Drows as they were called were the most prone to turn to evil which explained why the dark elf had pledged fifty of themselves to Voldemort. High elves always stayed light. He had also read about the features that were used to class elves and Harry had found that although they could have other color hair only high elves could have golden blond hair which meant that the elf that came to see him everyday had to be one. Harry planned to have a heart to heart talk with the man and explain the problems he was trying to deal with and hope and pray it would be enough to convince him that he had to let Harry escape. It was a slim hope but right now it was all Harry had left.

When the two elves entered his room Harry asked the Drow. "The other elf that comes to see me sometimes, do you think you can ask him to come? I need to talk to him."

The dark elf cocked his eyebrow at Harry in surprise. This was really the first time the boy had asked for anything voluntarily and for him to actually ask to speak to Discot. Well it was a surprise for sure. "I'll tell him you wish to speak to him. He would have come to see you later today anyhow. I know his lady will be here after you have eaten to treat your feet and finger."

Harry dropped his eyes before he thanked the man. Of course the elf was going to come by today. He planned on forcing Harry to take that potion. Harry shivered not with cold but with fear because he knew that if he couldn't convince him that's just what he would do too.

It wasn't to long after Harry had eaten breakfast that the two married elves came in. The female immediately unwrapped Harry's feet and started to cluck over them. She conjured a basin full of warm water and poured in a potion then had him soak them for almost thirty minutes before she finally rewrapped them. Fortunately treating his finger didn't take nearly as long and soon Harry was left alone with the male elf.

"I was told you wanted to speak to me Harry. What do you need to talk about?"

Oh man, this was gonna be so hard. Harry was not by nature very outgoing and being forced to share such a personal part of himself with someone he didn't like and didn't trust was not easy. Still, it wasn't like he was being given any choice about it. This was literally his last hope. Taking a deep breath he looked directly into the eyes of the elf and started. "Do you support Voldemort?"

"No child I do not. I'm assuming you have a reason for asking me such a question. What is it?"

"It's because if you force this you're handing him victory on a silver platter. Look, there's stuff that you don't know. Stuff I'm not supposed to talk about but I don't have any choice now." Harry blinked back the tears that were forming in his eyes before he continued. "I'm asking you to just let me go. I need to be at Hogwarts. I need my magic back too. Please, I'm even doing something I promised myself I would never do; I'm begging you if you care about others at all just let me go."

The elf studied Harry silently. Harry could feel a warm presence in his mind and knew that he was using a much gentler form of Legilmency than Harry had ever been subjected to in the past. Although Harry wasn't very good at Occlumency he did have a small gift in that direction so he struggled against his natural tendencies to close himself off and just let the elf explore.

"Tell me this prophesy and why you think it applies to you child." Harry wasn't sure if the elf had spoken aloud or in his head. He guessed either way it didn't matter.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…" _Gulping Harry tried to steady his voice before he continued. "It's me the prophesy is talking about. I'm the only one who can stop him but I can't, don't you see? Not here and not without my magic. Please, you need to let me go and give me back my magic or he'll win."

The elf looked like a burden had been strapped to his back and he almost bowed under the weight"_Either must die at the hand of the other_." He closed his eyes lost in thought before he slowly repeated "_Hand of the other_" His eyes snapped open and he studied Harry closely before he said softly and slowly, "Child, prophesies always come true but humans seldom understand them till after the fact. This one I think will be the same. The two crucial parts are '_Hand of the other'_ and '_Neither can live while the other survives_.' You have heard several times that elves never lie and we do not. I know that right now you are afraid and don't trust us and I understand your feelings. I will tell you now to give you what comfort I can that things are not finished yet. You begged me to help you and so I shall. I'm begging you to try to trust us. You will receive your first dose of the potion after you finish your lunch."

Failed, he had failed. Harry wrapped his arms around himself and started to rock back and forth trying to bring himself a little comfort but it was a useless gesture. He had failed and now the world would suffer for it. Harry sat and waited and thought. He thought of his family, of how they had stood by him even when they didn't want to, even when they didn't love him. He thought of his friends, helping him, loving him. He thought of the innocent ones that suffered and died. No chance to help themselves. Harry moaned at the internal pain and shame he felt for having failed and he prayed. 'If there is a God then please help me. Help us.' But no one came, no one helped and although he didn't, couldn't eat his lunch was served and after that the blond elf came. A quick body bind and it was started. Harry cried himself to sleep.

**August 25**

It had been eight doses since Discot had first forced the potion down his throat and he had to admit that he didn't notice any difference in himself yet, well except for the mental ones and those were more of an attitude adjustment not real change. He had more or less stopped fighting when they came to give him the potion other than a verbal protest. Body binds were just no fun. He had also stopped trying to escape. His last attempt had left him with a dislocated shoulder after he tried to break down his bedroom door. Because they were afraid his body would react badly to other magic being used on him in conjecture with the potion he had only had his shoulder manipulated back into the socket then bound. He now wore his arm in a sling. Of course that didn't mean he had given up, no…he was waiting I guess you could say.

Of course things had changed in the past three days but not too much. His feet had started to heal and he had been given some soft slippers. He wasn't allowed outside without Discot being with him and every night he was escorted back to his bedroom where he was locked in again. He was hardly ever left alone except when he went to bed and usually when he woke up someone was in the room with him.

Harry had been introduced to Discot's daughter and she spent a lot of time with the boy too. As a matter of fact she was one of the few that explained things to him. Kalian had told him that Discot and Meriel had applied to adopt him after he was changed. She had told him he would be her baby brother which Harry had found hilarious because if he had to guess he would have put her age at around ten or eleven. It wasn't till later when he asked how old she was that he found out how wrong he was. It seemed that elves had around the same maturation rate as human magical people did. Humans could live up to about one hundred thirty to one hundred sixty years and sometimes longer which meant that being an adult at seventeen made them mature around eight and a half percent of the way through their lives. An elf on the other hand lived to be about fifteen hundred years old so for them the eight and a half percent placed them at about one hundred and seventy six years old. Meriel was almost one hundred four years old and according to the formula Harry had worked out by elven standards he was only the equivalent of about one and a half years old. Now that had caused him some amusement or at least it did till he figured out that if he didn't manage to escape he was going to be under the direct control of adults for the next ten and a half years of his life. Not something he was looking forward to at all.

In a fit of boredom earlier today he had agreed to submit to lessons on the elvish language. Surprisingly a lot of elves already knew English or at least some human language. Well I guess it wasn't really surprising if you thought about it. Eight hundred years was a long time to learn stuff in. Discot was the teacher which seemed logical. The man did spend a large chunk of the day with him after all.

**August 26**

Today Discot was teaching Harry about elven numbers. Nothing to exciting until his daughter decided to burst into the room and demand that Harry come play with her. She had dragged in a small trunk that was filled with clothing and accessories to of all things muggle fashion dolls. Harry had snickered till the little girl had thrust a Ken doll in his hands and started digging out his clothes with demands that Harry dress him for a wedding to Barbie.

'Barbie? Wtf?' "Meriel, I don't know how to play with these things. Can't you get one of your other friends to play with you this afternoon?"

"Well, I could but I want to play with my little brother now." She reached into the pile of miniscule clothing and pulled out a pair of black trousers and a top coat. "He needs to wear a suit so that he can be formal. Barbie has a new wedding dress that mommy got me."

Harry sent Discot a look that clearly screamed HELP but was ignored. Well, not really ignored if the grin on the man's face was anything to go by. Discot was amused, very amused by his daughter's actions and he wasn't going to help Harry out of this mess.

Harry turned the doll over in his hands before he asked Meriel with a sigh, "If I play with you long enough to get the two dolls married will you go play with your friends?" Meriel gave a happy nod so Harry bit the bullet as it were and reached for the doll**'**s trousers…

Harry spent the next hour playing with Meriel. He eventually got so involved in the fantasy game of make believe that he even forgot Discot was there with them. In a way the play time was therapeutic for Harry. He could forget for a little bit that he was being held prisoner and was slowly being changed into something not human. He could forget the fears and guilt he stored inside himself at his failings. He could even forget for a time that this was not where he belonged.

After the two children brought the dolls together for the imaginary kiss that Meriel insisted on Harry smiled down at the little girl before handing the male doll back to her. He started to help her put the clothes back into the trunk when a slight noise startled him. Turning toward the sound he saw six elves that he had not seen before watching the play. His face turned red with embarrassment at being caught in such a compromising situation. That embarrassment turned to confusion when he noticed one of the elves was taking notes. As one the group stood and with quick goodbyes to Discot, Meriel and even himself they left the courtyard. Harry looked over at Discot, clearly puzzled by their actions but he was disappointed in that he was not given an explanation for them.

**August 29**

Harry curled around the cramps that attacked his stomach. He guessed this was better than when the pain centered around his lower back but not by much. Since the pain had started two days ago he had been having difficulties eating. Sometimes even the sight of red meat was enough to turn his stomach and sweets were totally out of the question. Harry knew that was important information but could not quite remember why it was important. Something, something…he read.

Later that day when he woke up from his nap he remembered the half finished thought. High elves couldn't eat refined sugar or red meat. He wrapped his arms around himself and shook. This was the first real proof he had that something was going on inside, that he really was changing. Harry started to hyperventilate in a growing panic. It had been days since he had been kidnapped. Where was the Order? They should have been here by now shouldn't they?

**September 8**

He slept most of the time now. His keepers would wake him up when it was time to eat or wash or have a physical but other than that he mostly slept. When he was awake he felt hollow and empty. He yearned for something but had no idea what it was. The times he felt the most content was when the woman who he was sure he knew from someplace came and held him. She would sit in the rocking chair and just sing softly to him as she rocked him. Sometimes the girl would come and curl around him and put her arm around him as they snuggled under the covers in the bed and sometimes she would give him a soft plushy toy to hug and hold.

Sometimes he would panic and fight the people around him but it usually didn't last to long because he would forget why he had started to fight in the first place once the man grabbed him and cooed softly to him. His world centered around the room, the three people that held and comforted him, his food, his sleep. He didn't really think much anymore. He just sort of felt. He felt emotions, he felt warmth or cold, he felt hunger or full.

Every now and then he would see flashes of faces or places and he would know that what was happening to him was wrong, unnatural and he would panic and cry. Sometimes he would remember things happening. Flashbacks of events taken out of context. Things he would watch without rhyme or reason but mostly life was simple. He slept, he ate, he relieved himself, he was washed, he was held, he was comforted and he was content.

**October 2**

Voices talking over him. Sleepy green eyes opening and looking with wonder at the colors held in front of his face. A hand reaches out and brushes the hair out of his eyes and he blinks. Something is put into his hand and he looks down at it. A soft roll. He raises his hand to his mouth and pushes the food in. He is comfortable, warm, dry and loved and at this moment that is enough.

**October 3**

Oh sure, the healers assured everyone that he would eventual be ok but right now it was heartbreaking to even look at him. He would just lay there curled around a plushy toy. Sometimes he would guild up enough strength to cry but mostly he didn't even bother. What he did instead was search. He searched everyone that came within his field of vision, their faces, and their expressions. Every line, wrinkle and smile only to be disappointed. The healers said he probably didn't even know what he was looking for because he didn't have enough memory left to put a face to a person anymore

Discot and his wife were going through the formal adoption with the boy in the afternoon. Everyone who had gotten involved in his case hoped that by giving him a real family he would calm and become more centered so that the reeducation process could begin. Elves were after all very social creatures and very family oriented and the child was so alone…

**October 5**

Discot and Meriel sat in the counsel chambers waiting for the high counsel to convene. The group that had been assigned to the boy had a lot of explaining to do and quitefrankly Discot wasn't looking forward to it. He just wanted to take his little family home and spend a quiet evening playing with his children and loving on his wife but that was not to be.

Lamatis called the counsel into session. "We have assembled to investigate what went wrong with the turning of the child Harry Potter. Chavis, you were the one assigned to collect the child from the self styled Dark Lord Voldemort. What was the condition of the child when you first saw him?"

Chavis stood up and looked the counsel over before he answered the question. "The boy was still under the effects of the gas that was used to sedate him from when he was kidnapped from his blood family. He had apparently taken a tumble down a flight of stairs in an ill advised escape attempt just moments before I collected him."

"Was the gas the only magic he was under at the time?" Was the next question.

"No my Lord it was not. Before I put the suppressor collar on the child I removed two tracking charms and one magical block. The child was also covered with a blood ward which I disabled."

"Could any of these reacted with the potion the child was fed?"

"As my Lord was advised the suppressor collar would not react with the potion in a negative mannerand by the time the potion was administered to the child the rest of the magic he had been under was dispelled. There could not have been a reaction."

Lamatis slapped his hand down on the counsel table in frustration before he barked out. "Could not have been? Obviously there was!"

Chavis, like everyone else in the counsel chambers flinched from the noise before he collected himself to explain. "I am not saying there was not an unexpected reaction to the potion My Lord; I am saying that whatever caused the reaction was not due to any known magic applied to the child before the potion was administered."

Terrice, the elder healer cleared her throat to gain the attention of those assembled. "Will the child recover from this unfortunate incident?"

Meriel reached out and grasped her husbands hand before she answered the question. "We believe so My Lady. When he was taken home he calmed almost at once. He has still not made any effort at speech and he still searches for something but we are hoping that with time he will regain what he has lost."

Darlenia, the seer of the counsel closed her eyes before she said in a dreamy voice, "He searches for his twin." Her eyes snapped open once again. "Find this twin son of a different mother for him and he will prosper."

The whole counsel erupted into pandemonium at her words. The child had no siblings so how could he have a twin and how could a twin be born of a different mother? It made no sense.


	4. The Order and Death Eaters

**Chapter 4 The Order and Death Eaters.**

**August 20**

Albus was not a happy man. He had been warned by Severus that Voldemort thought he had found a way around the wards. Even Harry had warned him that the wards were compromised but he in his arrogance had not listened. He was after all the greatest wizard of this age and it was unthinkable that a child would understand the ins and outs of blood wards better than he did and so now Harry was gone. Taken from the one place Albus was sure would be safe and by the very man who had wanted to kill him for the last fifteen years.

No hope for that, now the task was to find and rescue the boy before it was too late. The fact that it wasn't to late yet was both gratifying and worrying. Surely Tom would have killed the boy the moment he had him in hand. That he hadn't pointed to something nefarious. Was Tom thinking to use the boy or perhaps even try to turn him? Albus hoped it was the last because he knew Tom would fail if that was his goal but if he was keeping the boy alive for a ritual or even something to play with…The thought sent shivers down his back. He turned to address the order.

"As most of you know, Harry was taken from his family's home two days ago. The tracking charms I had on him were both canceled yesterday morning by an outside source. The tracking charm on his wand is still in effect. We are currently trying to establish the location of the wand on the premise that where it is so shall Harry be. If not in the exact location then at least close by."

Kingsley pursed his lips in thought before he asked, "Why are you so sure he was taken Albus? Couldn't he have just left?"

Albus shook his head no. "The improper use of underage magic picked up on two silencing charms cast by his wand on the night he vanished. On investigation they found his family hiding in the attic on Harry's instructions. The charms were cast on the second floor and on the attic. His aunt told the aurors he had felt a shift of some sort in the wards and sent them up there for their own safety. Harry sent his owl with a message asking us for help. Unfortunately no one was here untilthe following afternoon and by then it was too late. He was gone."

Molly moaned as if in pain. Her husband wrapped his arms around her trying to comfort her. She had been the one to find the note the next day and had not stopped mentally beating herself up for what she perceived as a major failing on her part since she wasn't there when Harry needed her. Arthur also saw it as a major failing but he blamed the whole order and especially Albus for not having foreseen the need for a speedy contact method with the boy.

Alastor glared at those assembled around the table with his good eye before he voiced Arthur's thoughts. "We failed that boy badly in more ways than one. Do we have any information on who took him? I want to know how someone brought down those wards that you put so much trust in Albus."

Albus seemed to age before the eyes of those assembled. "The wards are still intact." He licked his lips nervously before he continued. "Harry told me before he left school for the holidays that he thought the wards were compromised because Voldemort used his blood to create a new body for himself." Shame stained his cheeks. "I dismissed his concerns as a ploy to get out of him going home over the summer."

Molly stared at the old man across from her in horror before she slammed her hands down on the table and pushed herself to the feet. Almost too softly to hear she asked "You knew and you did nothing?"

"Molly, no. How could I have known? I had only the logic of a discontented boy and the vague warnings of Severus. Nothing concrete."

Molly's face paled. "Severus? Severus warned you too?" She had started out pale and soft spoken but red started to stain her face and her voice got louder till she was screaming. "You knew he hated it there and you sent him back anyhow and now you tell us that he told you," spittle flew from her mouth, "Thedamned wards were compromised and you still sent him back? What did Severus tell you?"

Molly in a rage was almost a force of nature. Albus had the quick thought that if they could find a way to bottle that rage and use it against death eaters Tom would be alone. Unfortunately this time her rage was directed at him and she didn't even know the whole story yet. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and told them "Severus told me in mid July that Voldemort thought he had found a way around the wards."

He didn't even have time to open his eyes before he heard dishes knocked to the floor and china shattering. His eyes snapped open only to see an enraged woman with red hair perched on the table, fist drawn back. Before he could do mort than raise a hand that fist connected with his nose. The loud crunch indicated that the aforementioned nose was once again broken. Blood flew and thankfully Author grabbed his wife and pulled her back into his arms. If he hadn't Albus was sure he would have been suffering from more than a broken nose by now.

It was the soft clapping that distracted everyone from the sight of blood dripping from the gloriously swollen nose on Dumbledore's face. Heads swiveled toward the clapping and everyone was treated to the extremely rare site of the dour potions master clapping his hands, a small grin on his face. "Bravo Molly although you should have saved it untilafter I made my report. I'm thinking you may want another go at him then but you have lost the element of surprise now."

Albus grabbed a handkerchief from a pocket and applied pressure to the nose trying to sop up the blood. A quick spell from Remus and the blood stopped flowing enough for him to try and talk. "You have news of Harry's location Severus?"

"Indeed I do although the news I have is not what anyone would welcome or expect. It seems that Potter was kidnapped just before midnight on August nineteenth. He was taken by The Dark Lord himself and sold later the next morning to a Drow. The inner circle is convinced that he is to be used as a sex slave for their perversions. In order to acquire the boy the Drow have aligned themselves with The Dark Lord."

Remus' face took on a blank look and his eyes a tinge of golden. The wolf close to the surface at the threat to his cub he snarled. He wasn't the only one either. The others in the room were voicing outrage and fear for the child too.

Severus savored the chaos he had created knowing that he wasn't even finished with the story yet. He hoped that by the time the whole story was told Albus would never fail to heed his warnings again. Severus had the feeling that it just might save his life at some future point in time. You see, Severus was one of the few people who knew the importance of Harry Potter in the war effort and his loss was causing Severus to rethink his loyalties. He had betrayed his master after hearing a part of the prophesy because he thought that with a new powerful wizard teamed up with Albus the light side was a sure shoe in for victory but now? Now one half of the equation was gone and from the reports he had heard would never be seen again and even if the order managed to retrieve him his magic was by now burned out so he would be useless in a fight except as some sort of poster boy and in reality how would that help?

Albus played directly into his hands as he said. "Severus, please explain what you said."

Severus sighed in a mocking way before he asked the room at large. "Do you want all of the gory details then?"

"We need to know if we are to counter this tragedy my boy."

Severus nodded once before he continued to speak. "The night of August eighteenth Potter was kidnapped and taken to a secured location. There a select few of the inner circle and The Dark Lord met with a Drow early the next morning that purchased the boy for the sum of four thousand galleons as well as a promise of an alliance. Part of the bargain was that Potter would have his magic stripped from him and he would never be seen in the human world again. From what I was told the boy was stripped of his clothes before those assembled and examined by the Drow before the agreement was reached. He was taken shortly after that. Even The Dark Lord does not know where he is."

Albus shuddered before he asked, "What of his wand Severus? Does he have that with him?"

Severus shook his head no. "The Dark Lord kept it as a trophy of his defeat of Potter."

Tonks had tears streaming from her eyes. She turned from the assembled and buried herself in Emmeline's arms. The older woman patted her on the back and just let her cry.

Dedaluscleared his throat and asked in a shaky voice, "Do you have a plan Albus? If his magic was indeed burned out will there be anything even worth rescuing?"

Both Molly and Arthur glared at him before Arthur said, "I don't care if he's a squib or muggle now. He's still a boy and a part of my family. We need to find him now!" Molly contented herself with glaring at the assembled with her tear**-**filled red eyes and nodding in agreement at her husband's words.

"We will not abandon the child. Severus can you find out if any of your contacts know where he was taken? I might be able to get in touch with a gray elf I knew several years ago. Although they are not always light creatures, I think she will be able to put me in touch with some high elves. I understand that there was some sort of issue brought up before the Wizengamot about some property a few years ago. Perhaps we can strike some sort of deal with them in return for their help in locating and rescuing Harry."

Hestia turned in time to see the curt nod from the potions master at Dumbledore's request and missed a part of what was said as she tried to analyze the expression on his face. A sort of hope mixed with hopelessness she would say. Well though, if they were going to ask for help from elves she could offer something. "My family has contact with an elven family. They are a mixed couple. He's a common elf and she's a wood elf. Their family lives near my ancestral home. I use to play with their children before I got too old for them. I think they'll remember me with fondness. Do you want me to try and contact them, Headmaster?"

He gave her a smile of encouragement. "Yes, please do. If they are willing to help us have them try to find out where Harry was taken and what was done to him. The rest of you please just keep your ears and eyes open. I'll contact you as soon as I have any more news." With that the meeting broke up. Some to floo home, some to stay and comfort each other, so to go and plot and a very small group to try to find out anything they could about the location of one young man.

**August 28**

Severus had been called to a death eater meeting only this one was different. This one was not called by the Dark Lord. This one was called by Lucius and only involved the inner circle. He listened closely trying to figure out what the hell was going on now.

Lucius paced in front of those assembled rolling his glass of cognac between his two hands. "I noticed the problem about two days ago. Our Lord is in pain but he doesn't know why. He's also having trouble eating and sleeping. He can't locate the source of this pain. I had a healer from St. Mungo's look him over yesterday but he didn't find anything wrong either. I suspect its spell damage but I can't find any trace of the spell used."

Avery started to nibble on his bottom lip it was a habit he had when thinking that absolutely drove Severus wild."Did he ask you to contact us for help with this problem Lucius?"

Lucius turned his grey eyes to Avery and studied him for a moment before he answered the man. "No he did not. He doesn't even know I called you all here to discuss the problem. That's why I did not ask Bella to come. She would have informed him of what goes on here and that would have crippled any help we might be able to give him."

Nott narrowed his eyes at his host. "You play a dangerous game Lucius. If he finds out that you've gone behind his back like this he won't be very happy with you and if he finds out that we are helping you it might mean our very lives."

"What I don't understand is what you expect us to do to help him Lucius. If he can't find the source of this pain then how do you expect us to? His powers make ours look childlike and weak." Avery said.

Lucius rubbed his eyes with one of his hands. "I don't know what I expect. I just don't like seeing any form of weakness in our master. It makes me feel uncomfortable to know that something could get to him. It that can happen to the most powerful wizard that I have ever heard of then just think of what can happen to us." Lucius sighed in exasperation before he continued. "Look, just keep an eye out for anything strange going on. If you notice anything let me know. Alright?"

**September 3**

Voldemort had been quiet for the past several days. The order had not expected 'calm before the storm' as it were, especially when the mad man had been able to dispose of his hated enemy and unfortunately dispose of him he did. Albus looked once more over at the device that had been tuned to Harry's life-force and winced as he once again watched it falter. Harry wasn't dead. Oh no, he wasn't dead at least not yet but from the way the device was working Albus was sure it was only a matter of time, a very short amount of time before it stilled completely and the boy's life force left him. A tear trickled down his weathered cheek. So far the order had come up empty. No one had been able to find anything helpful. No one had even been able to contact any elves for help or at least information. If something didn't break soon it would be too late.

**September 16**

Albus was an old man and today more than any other he showed it. Today Harry Potter had died. Albus had been in a meeting with some of his teachers about a problem they were having with several of the Slytherines who had been getting more out of control as the first month of school progressed. That these students were the children of known or suspected death eaters made dealing with the problem even more difficult. They were always taunting Minerva's students over the fact that Voldemort had taken out Harry over the summer and Albus was quite frankly afraid that soon all hell would break loose. He thus had his heads of house in his office discussing means and methods that could be used to control the situation before it came to the point that blood was shed when it happened. The device used to monitor Harry's life force had sputtered and died. Albus waited for it to start to whirl once again, his eyes never leaving the little silver instrument but it never did. He closed his eyes in defeat as the tears started to fall.

Pomona watched him in alarm. "Albus?" She reached out her hand and gently touched him on his arm. "What's wrong?"

Opening his eyes he glanced around the room till his eyes fell on Minerva. With his left hand he indicated the now silent silver instrument. The twinkle that usually shown in his eyes was gone leaving them looking dead. "Minerva, he's dead."

Her eyes darted to the instrument and she licked her lips nervously before she asked softly, "Harry?"

He only nodded in agreement.

Severus didn't know quite what to think. Ever since Lucius had called most of the inner circle to a meeting about the Dark Lord no one had heard from him. Both Voldemort and Lucius seemed to be missing and Severus didn't know what to do but he did know this much. Harry was dead, the Dark Lord was missing and the two were most likely interconnected…


	5. Paying Respect

When it rains it pours. My son came home for the Thanksgiving Holidays after a very busy week at work in which I was only able to get home for about twelve hours total. Thursday and Friday of last week I actually had off and was looking forward to relaxing and working on updating my stories. Instead on Thursday my son was bitten by a brown recluse and spent all of Thursday, Friday, Saturday and part of today in the hospital. He was released early this morning so I took a nap till 11:00 A.M. then typed in this chapter. I leave out for work tonight at about 21:00 and still need to do grocery shopping and laundry…

**Chapter 5 Paying Respect**

The memorial service for Harry was scheduled for September nineteenth at Hogwarts, and Albus was fuming. Cornelius had conceived of the idea of using the service as a launching point for his reelection campaign and had accordingly invited the media in what was sure to be a major circus. Harry's two best friends had threatened to boycott the service rather than lend even unwilling support to a man who had used his position and power to ridicule, deride, and belittle Harry all of last year, not to mention the fact that he had gone so far as to usurp Dumbledore's authority at the school by placing Umbridge in an ultimate authority position over it; which had led to the torture of several student, but primarily Harry, at her hands. To make matters even worse, Cornelius refused to admit that these incidents had even happened and because the only one who could have supplied tangible proof in the form of a scarred hand was dead and the body missing it looked like Umbridge was going to get off Scot free.

Everyone in the Order, all of the teaching staff, and most of the student body of Hogwarts were resentful and angry about the things that Fudge had either done or not done. If Fudge would have taken a more responsible attitude in his job instead of spending so much time trying to whitewash his reputation, things could or rather would have turned out a lot differently than they did.

Hermione and Ron were not being quiet this year about knowing Sirius or about his innocence. They figured they had little or nothing to loose, and if they were arrested for abetting a known felon that was just fine. They would raise so much stink in the ministry about Fudge suppressing evidence that the stink might never go away and Albus had to admit that with the amount of support the two had gained from the student body they had the right of it. Even Fudge couldn't ignore the amount of up and coming voters that would be leaving Hogwarts in the next few years, and if he tried to suppress the truth this time he would have to incarcerate or obliviate almost three/fourths of the third through seventh year student body. The horrible part was that if he thought he could get away with it he was willing to do just that, too.

So in order to protect his students, Albus had to do something that he thought was long overdue. He had to make a stand against the ministry. Albus bent his head once again to the piece of parchment on the desk in front of him and picking up a quill he started to work on the eulogy for Harry. For the first time since that ill-fated meeting in which his nose had been broken again, the twinkle came back to his eyes, but this time it was different, this time instead of making him look kindly and concerned it made him look vengeful. Albus put the quill to paper and started writing.

**"_Friends and loved ones, we have gathered here together to pay our last respects to a remarkable young man. A young man who's life was cut short because of the failings of those who should have protected him_,_ but instead failed him on every level. He lived a life of valor, love and kindness_,_ but he also lived a life alone. Cut off from those who should have taught him about his heritage for the first ten years of his life he was eager to embrace the magical community once he started his education here but found out very shortly that we were not so eager. Instead we as a community placed responsibility on his shoulders that no child should be asked to carry. We used this child as a whipping boy when things did not go as we might wish and we used this child ..._ "**

**September 18**

Lucius was frantic. He had taken Voldemort back to his home to protect him from whatever it was that was attacking him. He had investigated spells trying to find the solution but so far had come up empty. Voldemort seemed to be wasting away.He had lost weight that he could little afford to loose and his body seemed to be shifting somehow. The pain he was in was almost more than Lucius could stand to see. He constantly screamed in pain and writhed on the bed unable to find a peaceful sleep even with the help of strong potions.

Lucius had wanted to attend the memorial service for Potter, but as things stood now he didn't think it wise to leave his charge for that long, still he was going to have to make a short appearance before the event if for no other reason than to caution his son about the attitude he had been displaying around the school. Arrogance was one thin,g but the boy was bordering on foolish with the way he was now acting. Draco needed to remember that his father's release from prison did not mean he was innocent in the eyes of the public. Some saw it for just what it was. A deep pocket and a foolish minister willing to be purchased.

Going back into the bedroom where Voldemort was finally sleeping, Lucius sighed as he started placing wards around the bed. Hopefully his master would not wake up till he got back, but just in case the wards would alert him if there was any change. After he was finished, he apparated just outside of the wards at Hogwarts and started the walk up to the school.

**September 19**

It was a cold and drizzly day, but that seemed fitting for the occasion. The student body had gathered in the great hall after lunch for the memorial service and for once even the Slytherins were respectful, or at least, not disrespectful. Fudge had opened the service with a speech about how Harry had been a hero for the people, supplying hope for the eventual defeat and destruction of the terror of He Who Must Not Be Named and even posthumously awarding him an Order of Merlin third class as well as a medal of valor for his battle in the Ministry of Magic last year. He also said that Harry was an icon of all that was good and brave and he knew that if the young man had survived he would stand behind the work of the ministry in trying to contain this evil. (Ron about gagged when he heard that, but having the Albus's promise that at the last he would set the record straight, he managed to contain himself.)

After Fudge was finished speaking, Harry's friends stood one at a time and gave heartfelt words about who and what Harry really was about and what he stood for. The tears started flowing, and many people felt ashamed of themselves for past actions. By the time Hermione stood, there were very few in the audience who had dry eyes and after she was finished the only ones without tears falling was those who supported Voldemort or in a few cases those in the ministry that were trying to use Harry's life and death as a stepping stone to greatness.

It was very telling that after the service the Wizengamot had convened and Cornelius Fudge was subjected to a vote of no confidence, which he did not pass. A session was scheduled for the next day to nominate candidates for a replacement and a warrant was issued for the arrest of Deloris Umbridge, Lucius Malfoy, and several other death eaters who had managed to buy their way out of prison after the ministry fiasco as it was now being called. New laws were passed in which each employee of the ministry had to submit to questioning under veritaserum which started that very day with the counsel itself. Albus was pleased. A major shakeup was occurring in the magical world and it was long overdue.

**September 26**

Lucius had not been outside of the manor grounds for almost a month. He was horrified at the changes his master was undergoing and felt helpless to halt the process. In an act of desperation he had finally called the Drow that had promised support to his master in the coming battles but was instead answered by one of his underlings who took one look at his master and pronounced judgment. "His soul has been split and that is destroying him. Find the pieces of his soul and reunite them with his body or he will die."

That was the catalyst Lucius needed to begin the search for the horcruxes himself. He knew that one had been destroyed, thanks to that Potter brat, but if he could find the rest of them, then perhaps it would be enough to save his master.

Lucius worked under an advantage that the other searchers didn't have. He knew his master intimately and in lucid moments he even had a source that could tell him where they were. It only took a few days before Lucius had gathered four of them together and started the arduous rituals needed to help his master reabsorb the missing parts of his soul. Lucius knew that these four did not make a complete soul, but he hoped it was enough.

**October 6 **

Harry and Discot at the appointed time made their way to the ministry. Once there the two hurried to keep the appointment set up with Mrs. Lavens in the wills and inheritance department. Harry looked around alertly, but did not try to communicate with anyone. He whimpered slightly when the small dagger was used to collect a drop of his blood for the test necessary to determine if he was indeed a long lost part of the family Slitherine and it was with satisfaction that Discot watched as the test proved out the boy's heritage. The two left after Discot signed the necessary papers to take control of the land that traditionally belonged to Harry's family and within the wheels of the ministry the panic began. Hogwarts had been claimed by the elves once again. A floo call to the board of governors to set up an emergency meeting to determine what could be done to stop this take over of the school and grounds and if it couldn't be stopped, what should be done about moving the school to a new location?. Albus when he heard the news was amazed. He knew the elves had tried to claim some land a few years ago, but never even dreamed it was his beloved school.

* * *

The governors gathered along with the headmaster and the teaching staff. The students had been restricted to their common rooms during the meeting, and amongst them rumor ran rampant. The school was being closed, the teaching staff was being fired, the headmaster was being replaced and of course the favorite amongst all of the students except the Slytherins was that Snape was being fired, killed, replaced or at least gotten rid of some how.

In reality, what happened was that the meeting was used as a sounding board to decide who would be sent as an embassy to talk to the new owners about keeping the school open to the students, and if that were possible what, if any, changes would the elves make.

Albus, as the headmaster, was selected as well as Snape, because he represented the house they thought the elves might identify with due to the similarities between the name of the heir and his house. As a representative of the board of governors, Mrs. Longbottom was selected and now the only problem was how to get in touch with them?

**October 7**

Chevis was ecstatic, he had found the twin and now all he had to do was get the child away from his caregiver and get him to Discot before the child died from overexposure to dark magic. Unfortunately the caregiver didn't want to give up the child and although Chevis was hesitant about just taking the boy time was running out and if Chevis didn't act soon then it might be too late. He quickly transported himself back to the Elven realm and contacted several of his family members to supply the muscle needed to take the child if the caregiver refused once again and once he had gathered his forces he transported back to the estate. It took a lot of argument and one promise to return the child if he so chose once he reached adulthood before the caregiver agreed to relinquish the boy to the elves but finally Chevis was able to pick the boy up and cradled close to his chest he transported away.

* * *

The committee appointed to meet with the elves about the standing of Hogwarts was not having any luck locating the elves they needed to talk to. Albus, accompanied by Hegrid was touring the forbidden forest looking for the centaurs so that he could explain to them what had happened. He wasn't sure if they would cause trouble for the new masters or not and didn't want to take the chance of alienating the elves if they did try to cause trouble so here he was. Once the two crossed the creek and started to follow it down to the lake where the centaurs were reported to have a community Albus started to hear voices in the distance. The closer they came the easier it was to hear what was being said. Albus would have paused to listen in but whoever was speaking wasn't speaking in a language he could understand so with only a short pause at the edge of the clearing the two made their way to the center of the small village. It was there that Albus finally found the elusive elves.

Plastering a wide smile on his face Albus approached the blond haired elf that seemed to be in charge. "Sir, my name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school board and I have been trying to contact your people for an interview ever since the deed to the school changed hands."

The blond elf looked down his nose at the old man before he decided to reply. "Why would you feel it necessary to contact my people?"

Feeling a bit uncomfortable at the question Albus hesitated for a few seconds before he gave an answer. "I am assuming that you are the new owner of the school. As you are probably aware the school has always had excellent relations with the owners in the past but with the death of the last owner the school reverted to human control, well, it did until it was discovered that an heir did indeed exist. We need to know what if any changes will be made under the new ownership."

Discot smiled at the human before he gave him what Albus would consider being bad news. "I am not and never will be the owner of this property. The owner is of tender age as of yet and so the property will be managed by his financial advisers. If they feel it is necessary they will arrange a meeting between those you call the Board of Governors and themselves. You however will have nothing to do with this because you are at best an employee of the Board."

Albus felt his smile falter. "Well, ordinarily I might agree with you except the Board themselves have asked me and two others to meet with your…ahha…the financial advisers to the young heir to discus our concerns. I am hoping you would be willing to arrange this meeting for us."

Discot looked bored with the whole discussion. He sighed before he gave his answer. "I will pass along your message. If they decide that a meeting is in order I am sure they will contact you. Now unless there is anything else you need I am busy and will bid you good day."

Albus's smile faltered completely at the elf's rudeness but he didn't comment on it. He was still hoping to make a good impression on the elf and he still needed information. "Actually there is something else I wish to discuss with you and I am sure you will agree that this falls within my scope of responsibility. One of my students was kidnapped over the summer. Our intelligence indicated that he was taken by a Drow elf that tortured and killed the child. This child was special to us and I am seeking information on what happened to him. I would also like to arrange the return of his body for proper burial."

Anger bloomed across the elf's face. "How dare you accuse one of my people of torture and killing of a child." The elf said icily. "We hold the lives of children sacred and would never harm one. What you accuse us of is cause for war."

"I meant no disrespect to you and yours. If you were unaware of what happened then you could not be held responsible for this elf's actions but I assure you that my information is correct. I have reliable witnesses that will testify as to what happened to the child. I also had monitors that recorded the moment the child died."

Discot was livid. How dare this human make such accusations against one of his own. Oh he knew who the boy was. He wasn't stupid after all but knowing how the boy was neglected for most of his life and knowing how the child was left in an unprotected environment that allowed for his kidnapping by one as evil as Voldemort who did torture and kill children only to be accused of doing the same was to much. "Set up a meeting with this witness. I will see to it that you receive your answers at that time. If at the meeting you learn you are wrong you will make restitution old man. Now get out of my sight!"

"How will I contact you when I have the meeting set up?"

"The meeting will be on the grounds of the school tomorrow afternoon. You may bring any that you feel will support your case and I suggest you make a good job of it because if you cannot support the accusations you have made then the **Elven **nation and human nation are at war."

Discot transported himself home still fuming about what the old man had accused one of his own of. Landing outside of his home he started toward the door only to have his wife fling it open in her excitement. "Husband!" Oh yes she was definitely excited. "Chevis has found the twin!" by this time she had reached him and grabbing his hand started tugging him toward the door of the house.

Discot laughed at her exuberance before he pulled her back to his arms. Giving her a quick hug then placing her at his side the two entered the family room together. Stopping in his tracks Discot watched the two boys shyly getting to know each other as his daughter looked on with approval.


	6. The Beginning

**Chapter 6 The Beginning**

**October 7 **

Discot and Chevis along with two impartial witnesses from the elven counseltransported to Hogwarts on the morning of the seventh for the meeting between Albus and Discot. Although the four elves appeared calm that was far from the case. This meeting would set the pace for elven relationships between humans for many years to come. Chevis personally thought that if the humans escaped war after this meeting they should get down on their knees and thank the twin because last night watching Harry and the twin interact was all that diffused Discot's righteous anger over the baseless accusations made against one of his own. Imagine believing even for a second that any elf would willingly harm a child. Unbelievable what some people could believe based on rumors, gossip and half understood fact.

The small group halted on the lawn before the great doors and waited for the humans to notice them. Fortunately it didn't take very long before the strangest group of humans that Discot had ever seen started to arrive. The old man came first flanked by five with flame hair that would have done a wood elf proud. Those six were followed by an old woman with a dead bird perched on her head and a man who looked like he had been chewed up by a dragon before being spit out. One of the females had the blue green hair only seen naturally on the royal family of sea elves and another male had skin even darker than a drow did. One of the males reminded Discot of a youngling playing at being a vampire and one of the normal looking humans had the stink of a lycanthrope around him.

When the strange group of humans was about three and a half meters away they stopped and the old man approached alone. When he was only about a meter away Discot held up his hand in a warding off gesture and the old man stopped. "No closer till terms are set." He snapped his fingers and Chevis stepped forward to his side. Dropping to his knees he pulled his hair around his shoulder so that his neck was exposed, he then bowed his head in an act of submission.

Discot laid a hand on Chevis' head. "This is Chevis, the dark elf who paid gold for the boy. If through any action of his the boy came to harm he offers his life to you to use as you see fit. If you find this acceptable then you will make your counter offer and we agree to your offer there will be no war. If we cannot come to an agreement of terms and we find you in the wrong there will be war. Do you understand these things human?"

It would have been an understatement to say that Dumbledore was shocked. If he understood this correctly this Chevis was offering to die rather than have humans declare war on the elves if they were proven to be in the wrong. Of course Albus wouldn't kill the man but, but, but…retribution or justice or revenge; whatever you wanted to call it would be served if he spent the rest of his life in prison. Or at least almost served. Albus stroked his beard as he lost himself in thought. He worked out the problems Harry's death had caused and how to get around them before he made a counter demand. "The boy who died was very special to us on several different levels. He was the pinnacle figure in a prophesy that predicted the death of our enemy Voldemort. He was friend, student and son to several of us. You can never make that right but we are not unreasonable." He motioned to the kneeling dark elf before continuing. "Him, the return of Harry's body and elven assistance in the war against our enemy. That is fair recompense for what was done. Do you agree?"

Discot said "We agree. Now what do you offer?"

Albus followed Chevis' lead and went to his knees. Head bowed he simply said "My life."

Chevis said something in elven to Discot and after listening he nodded once then told Albus, "Your life and three days service from the one who accused Chevis of harming the child."

Albus glanced over his shoulder at Severus before he shook his head no. "I cannot bargain another's life."

Severus stepped forward and said in a snide tone, "You have before Albus but this time I'll make the bargain myself. What will these three days of service entail?"

Discot smiled at the dour vampire wannabe before he answered. "Service would be servant or slave work. Nothing that will harm you except perhaps your pride. Do you agree?"

Going over the pro's and con's quickly he understood that if the elves came into the fight the light side would surly win he made his decision. Three days for a life a freedom if it went against his side as apposed to slavery from either Voldemort or Albus for Merlin knew how long. A bargain. "I agree."

Once terms were agreed to Discot conjured a large round table and chairs for everyone. He also placed a ward around the assembly that heated the air so the meeting could be held in comfort. Inviting everyone to seat themselves he asked the group at large. "Who would like to start?"

Severus glared at Albus. This was serious business and what does the man do? Pulls a sack of sweets from a pocket and starts offering them around. Shaking his head in disgust he turned down the candy before he offered to start the meeting.

"On August 19 Albus told me that Potter had been taken from his family's home. He asked me to contact some people I know to try and find out what happened to him. One of my contacts told me that the Dark Lord had used a potion that created a gas at Potter's residence. This gas rendered the boy unconscious. He was taken to a secret location. There he was stripped of his clothes, sold for four thousand galleons and the promise of 50 Drow followers. The Drow that purchased him promised the Dark Lord that the boy's magic would be stripped and that he would never be allowed freedom again. According to my sources the boy was fondled inappropriately, collared, shackled and chained before he was taken away." Severus glared at those seated around the table before he once again sat down.

Chevis gently smiled at those affected by the story the human had told. How like humans to care so much but to give so little. "Before I tell you what really happened I wish you to know. Elves never lie. We may not tell the whole story or give all of the facts but what we do say is always true. Do you all understand this?" He waited till each human indicated understanding before he picked up the narrative.

"Amongst my people I am a hunter. I find people or things that are missing. My last assignment was to find the heir to Slitherine. We knew that the lord had two children by a human woman and we knew both of those children had children of their own. I met a dead end with the children of the eldest but was able to locate the heir of his youngest child. Unfortunately this heir was damaged beyond our ability to help. He had been tainted by the blackest of magic and his soul was corrupted. It was during this time I found out that your Voldemort planned on kidnapping a child and using him in a ritual. After the ritual was completed he planned on turning this child over to his followers with instructions to hurt him as much as possible without allowing him to die."

Chevis sighed at the shocked looks on the faces around him. "Shurly this does not come as a surprise to you? Anyhow, I went back to the counsel and informed them of what I had found out. The counsel ordered me to acquire the child in any way possible to save him and I agreed. I returned to Voldemort and told him that some elves liked to play with young humans and that several members of our counsel had asked me to try to get the boy for them. Voldemort promised to contact me when he had the child to see if we could strike a deal for him. I agreed and continued my search for a usable heir which I finally found. It was a young sixteen year old male who resided with his family at number 4 Privet Drive"

Chavis flashed a feral grin at the gasps he heard from around the table.

"Yes, I'm sure you can sympathize with my distress when I found the house being watched by death eaters. After the boy was taken I went back to where your Voldemort was hiding. He and I struck a deal and I took the boy." Chevis bowed to Discot before he asked the Order members. "Do you have any questions?"

Questions? Questions? Of course he had questions. About a hundred of them as a matter of fact. Severus looked around at the humans and waited for someone else to start.

Albus cleared his throat and asked the most important question of all. "Is the boy dead?"

Chevis slowly shook his head no.

Remus got a hopeful look and blurted out "He's not dead? I want to see him!" Others around the table added their agreement to that with Molly being the loudest except she wasn't just demanding to see Harry, she as demanding his return.

Severus cleared his throat before standing to get Chevis' attention. "Are dark elves joining the death eaters?"

Chevis once again shook his head no but this time he also gave a verbal answer. "Humans seldom listen to what is being said. I promised your Lord Voldemort that fifty of us would call him Lord. I never said we would serve him."

Now that was a bit more than the twins could take without loosing it. George shook with laughter as he pointed a shaky finger at Chevis and gasped out "You – you tri- tricked him." Fred couldn't even get that much out, he was laughing so hard.

Molly scowled at her sons before she turned back to the elf. "What about the rest? Did you strip his magic from him and," Here her face turned redder than her hair, "and physically misuse him?"

Discot stood and walked around the table till he was beside Molly. He knelt down so he could look directly in her eyes and asked, "You have tried to be a mother to him haven't you?"

Molly's lip quivered and she gave a jerky nod. "I love him like one of my own. All of this not knowing how he is, it's killing me."

Softly so the others had to strain to hear he explained. "Chevis had the boy stripped for several reasons. The first was to make sure nothing touching him was charmed. Another reason was because the child fell down a flight of stairs and Chevis needed to make sure he took no hurt from that. He is not very good at diagnostic spells and anything between the one he casts on and himself clouds the results. He ran his hands across the child's body because touch aids him in reading the results of the spell. The last reason he had the child stripped was because the suppressor collar that was used to block the boy's magic will not work around objects. Once the collar is locked on and the block is active clothing can be worn again. They rest outside of the block. These things were done to protect the child. Chevis couldn't tell the child this in front of the evil one and so of course the child was afraid. For this we are sorry but it was necessary."

Molly reached up and wiped the tears that had gathered in her eyes away. In a shaky voice she asked him. "He's ok then? I need to see him please."

After giving it a few moments of thought Discot gave a decisive nod. Speaking louder he said, "After this is settled and we are finished here I will have my wife bring him so that you may all see him. Does that satisfy everyone?"

The humans around the table save two were in agreement that seeing Harry was alive and well would satisfy. Even Albus was sporting his twinkle and a grin. The two that still expressed reservations was Severus and surprisingly Tonks.

"Um, I hate to be a wet blanket but something is bothering me." That statement caught the attention of the others and Tonks finding herself the center of attention blushed but continued on anyhow. Jerking her thumb in the direction of Chevis she said, "He said elves never lie." She then pointed at Severus, "He said he was told that Harry would never be 'Allowed freedom again' was he wrong?"

Chevis simply said "He was informed wrong."

Discot stood and held up a hand for silence. When everyone was quiet and looking back at him he asked, "Do you still think that the boy was harmed by elves old man?"

Albus studied the other humans gathered around the table gauging their opinions from their expressions and of all of them only Tonks and Severus seemed uncertain. "Severus, Nymphadora,Do you two still have any questions or doubts?"

Severus scowled before he accused, "They aren't telling us everything."

Tonks nodded in agreement "I think they're hiding something too Albus."

Albus turned his troubled gaze back to Discot and asked, "Are you hiding things about what happened to Harry from us?"

"Old man, the purpose of this gathering is to determine if one of ours did as you accused. Do you still believe Chevis purchased the boy for a slave, to be misused and killed?"

Albus hesitated a moment longer before he answered, "No I do not. I also believe you have not been completely honest with us but I no longer think Mr. Chevis purchased him to hurt him."

"Chevis, you may work out how your bond servant will fulfill his service. Old man, After today if you try to interfere with me or mine or if you ever try to spread lies about me or mine I will kill you." Giving a grim smile Discot finished with "Honor has been satisfied. I am content."

Molly stood and gave Discot a shy smile. "Will you get Harry for us now?"

Discot gave the woman a warm friendly smile and said. "I have not forgotten Lady but I think there are several things we need to talk about first. Please be patient." Molly gave him a small frown before she nodded and sat back down.

"Old man, do these humans know of the prophesy made about the child and the evil one?"

Albus licked his lips nervously before he shook his head no. "I would prefer to keep it that way if you don't mind."

Moody blew out a gusty sigh and Mrs Longbottom hid a smile behind her hand. She was the one who answered the headmaster's statement though. "Albus, I'm not even a member of your Order and I know what the prophesy is about and all I have is second hand information from unreliable sources. Harry has to face him doesn't he?"

At Albus gobsmacked expression Kingsley said. "We all know Albus. It's not that hard to put the pieces together you know?"

Discot grinned at the flummoxed expression on the old man's face before he continued where he had left off. "Humans are notorious for misinterpreting prophesies before they are fulfilled." His grin turned ruthful. "This time I did as poor a job as you humans did. You see, I have taken the child as my own and our law states quite clearly that the parent or guardian of a child act as his hands and voice in all matters. I had thought that meant that I would be the one to kill the evil one and thus it would have been finished because of the part that said, '_either must die at the hand of the other' _in my arrogance I though I was the '_power the Dark Lord knows not' _I was wrong."

Chevis was shaking his head and laughing at Discot who reached out and lightly slapped the other man upside the head. His cheeks pinked and he continued. "I discounted the part that said '_And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal'_. His equal, not future equal or has the potential to become his equal but at the time he was marked he was his equal. Harry was that powerful even then. Did any of you guess this?"

After Discot finished talking Albus mouth dropped open and the piece of hard candy fell down into his beard. He gulped a few times before he franticly shook his head no. "How can that be? He was only fifteen months old at the time!"

Minerva nodded quickly in agreement. "He's right. Babies have very small magical cores. As they mature the cores grow with them. That growth process doesn't stop till the wizard dies but the majority of the growth happens during eleven through seventeen years old. That's why we don't teach magic to children under the age of eleven. Most children don't have a strong enough magical core to be useful before then unless they are emotional enough to boost or jump their magic. It's impossible for a child so young to be the magical equal of someone like Voldemort."

Discot sat back and listened to the humans argue. It was humorous that although they were all in agreement they didn't seem to notice that yet. He let them go to it for a bit longer before he interrupted them once again.

"Tell me what you know of twins." He asked those assembled.

Fred and George both grinned at the question.

"Well, twins are the product of the mother"

"producing an egg that splits causing"

"two children to form instead of"

"One" both finished at the same time.

Mrs. Longbottom raised an eyebrow at the twins. Everyone else was so use to them speaking as one that they ignored it in favor of concentrating on what they said. Well, that and wondering what this had to do with a fifteen month old baby being as powerful as the Dark Lord.

After talk died down once again Discot took up his narrative. "You are partially right. Twins share a soul even if only for a short period of time. This sharing causes a bond to form that will only be broken with death of one of the twins. I am going to tell you all a story of a set of twins and I want you all to listen very carefully because I will never repeat this story after today."

He smiled gently at those around the table before he started. "Once upon a time a child was born to parents who loved him very much. This child was the most powerful wizard to have ever drawn breath. Before he came into the world a prophesy was made about him and another very powerful wizard. This other wizard was as black as the child was light. This is the prophesy.

'_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…'_

"At the age of fifteen months this evil wizard found the baby and tried to kill him with a powerful curse. The use of this curse takes a lot of magic to perform and after it is used the one who used it is weak. This child lashed out as his soul was forced from his body by the curse and he clove onto the nearest one that could save his life. That nearest one happened to be the evil wizard. The child forged the two souls into one before the blackness of the other caused a separation of the soul. By the time this happened the child was strong enough to pull his soul back to his body but the evil one who had been weakened by the killing curse could not do the same so his soul was cast adrift and his body destroyed.

"What most people do not realize about twins is that there is always a dominate one. Under normal circumstances the dominate one would have been the older one but because the older one had fractured his soul into several pieces and because he was left without a body and because of the magical strength of the child it was the child that became dominate. Actions taken later caused an even bigger gap between the strengths of the two as well as a closer bonding. Soon the child unknowingly was able to control the very body of the evil one on even the tiniest level.

"These actions were all initiated by the evil one without his knowledge of what he did. He first opened the bond with the child when he was eleven by trying to convince the child to join him in his evil work. The second action he took was in using the child's blood to build another body for himself. Later he forced the bond wide open by sending the child visions. The next mistake the evil one made was to possess the child which gave the child a blueprint as it were to how the evil one's body worked.

"Harry fulfilled the prophesy the night his parents died. It only took several years before the evil one understood that."

Discot stopped talking and watched the old man tangle the hard candy further into the mass of hair on his chin as he plucked at it. He listened with half an ear to the chaos around him as he watched drool form in the corner of the slack mouth before it dripped out of that mouth and fell almost directly on the candy before the old man realized he had been sitting there with his mouth hanging open like a half wit.

With a quick yank Albus pulled the candy from his beard and despite several hairs that stuck to it he popped it back into his mouth before he gagged and quickly pulled it back out. After plucking several hairs from his mouth he spoke. "Are you telling us that Voldemort is dead?"

At the question the table became quiet as the humans waited with bated breath for Discot's answer. "Yes he is dead."

"There is a potion that was invented long ago that if taken by a werewolf everyday after the full moon till the next full moon that will cause the werewolf to change and never be able to change back. It was made illegal. It has another use that has nothing to do with werewolves though. If administered to a human with a small amount of elven blood in them it will slowly change the human into a full elf. It forces the human parts out till nothing remains but the elven part. Harry was given that potion."

Molly screeched "What?"

Discot ignored her and continued with his story. "As Harry was being changed he lashed out in his fear but the only one he could reach was his twin." Discot shrugged. "He is the dominate twin so he pulled his twin into the change with him without even knowing what he did. Harry is now a high elf and high elves are unable to be evil so the part that was Voldemort was forced out of the weaker twin and all that was left was Tom Riddle, Harry's twin and another high elf."

"If you will wait here I will get my children." Discot stood and walked into the forest.

It took about thirty minutes before he came back accompanied by a little elven girl of about nine or ten, a beautiful woman carrying a young baby of about one and himself carrying another baby of about one. Putting the babies down on the ground he watched with a fond smile as the little green eyed elfling started to teeth on the ear of the plush rabbit he was holding before he fell to his bottom with a squawk.

Remus stood and stared down at the children before he turned shocked eyes back to Discot. "They're ba - babies." He stuttered out.

Discot grinned at him before he said "I know. Elves age much slower than humans. The twins are both about sixteen years old now." Molly fainted.

**The End.**

Took much longer to type than I thought it would what with work, my son, the hollidays ect. I have two chapters written for my other stories but haven had time to enter them into my computer yet. Promise I won't start another story again till at least one of the other two are finished. This trying to enter three put me way behind on my updates. (Well, I might but before I start to download it I'll have it in my computer already.)


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